The new engine of the chip manufacturing revolution
Semiconductor chips are the core driving force for the development of modern science and technology, and their performance and advanced process technology directly determine the function and energy consumption performance of electronic products. In this rapidly evolving digital age, chipmakers have been relentlessly pursuing smaller and more integrated chips to meet the growing computing demand.
What is driving the breakthrough of the chip manufacturing process to the nanometer level is the revolutionary technology of extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV). As the only company in the world that can produce EUV lithography machines, ASML in the Netherlands undoubtedly occupies a monopoly position in this field. Just recently, ASML caused a stir in the industry with the launch of a new generation of high-NAEUV lithography machines.
Weighing 165 tons and selling for $380 million, the "King of Chip-Making Machines" is hailed as the most advanced lithography equipment ever built. Compared to the previous low-NA version, the high-NA EUV lithography machine uses an innovative aspheric optical system design that reduces the minimum feature size on the chip from 13 nm to 8 nm and increases the transistor density by nearly 3 times.
Such an amazing performance has naturally attracted a frenzy from chip manufacturers such as Intel and Samsung. Intel has placed orders for all five high-NA EUV lithography machines that ASML will produce in 2024 at a unit price of up to $370 million. Samsung and SK hynix have also been revealed to be getting this "ultimate machine" in the second half of 2025.
For China's chip industry, ASML's new product is undoubtedly a heavy blow. Due to U.S. export controls, Chinese companies are unable to obtain EUV lithography machines, which restricts the development of domestic chip manufacturing technology. However, this did not break the morale of Chinese companies. On the contrary, they are actively seeking alternatives as they work tirelessly to break through the technological blockade
Faced with the dilemma of being "stuck", the Chinese chip giant Huawei did not choose to give up. They are working tirelessly to break through the technological blockade and are also actively seeking alternatives.
In November 2022, Huawei applied for a patent for an EUV lithography machine, aiming to solve the problem of EUV light source uniformity and pave the way for the development of domestic EUV lithography machines. Although there is still a long way to go before it truly masters this technology, this is undoubtedly a key step for Huawei in terms of chip autonomy and control.
Huawei has also proposed an innovative technology called Self-Aligning Quadruple Imaging (SAQP). This technology is expected to break through the current technological bottleneck by making 5nm-level chips without EUV devices by etching multiple times on silicon wafers.
What's even more exciting is that Huawei has partnered with SMIC, the largest chip manufacturer in Chinese mainland, to establish a 5nm chip production line in Shanghai. According to the plan, this production line will be used for mass production of Huawei's self-designed 5nm chip Kirin series.
Although there is still a gap between China and the international advanced level, these measures will inject new impetus into the development of domestic chips. Some people pointed out that if Huawei and SMIC's 5-nanometer chip production is successful, it will bring an unprecedented impact to the US technology blockade.
To truly achieve independent and controllable chips, Chinese companies still have a long way to go. However, with a pioneer like Huawei and the country's strong support in this field, we have reason to believe that China will eventually be able to master the core chip technology and occupy a place on the world's science and technology map.
On the road of independent chip innovation, Huawei has not only made breakthroughs at the technical level, but also made remarkable achievements on the product side.
Just last month, Huawei suddenly released the flagship mobile phone Mate 60 series, of which the Mate 60 Pro version is equipped with Huawei's self-developed 7nm chip Kirin 9000S, which re-supports 5G networks. As soon as the phone was launched, it set off a boom in the domestic market, and sales are expected to reach 30 million units.
The hot sales of the Mate 60 series not only demonstrate Huawei's innovation strength in the sanctioned environment, but also a vivid portrayal of China's chip strength. Although the process technology of Kirin 9000S is still far from the international advanced level, its performance has surpassed that of old mobile phones in the same price range.
Some teachers pointed out that the excellent performance of the Mate 60 series will further stimulate the demand of domestic consumers for domestic chip mobile phones. In the "Huawei VS Apple" showdown, more and more Chinese users have begun to favor "national brands".
The rise of this "national tide" trend is inseparable from the background of the Sino-US science and technology war. In the case of technological blockade by the United States, Chinese consumers are more inclined to support independent and controllable domestic brands to express confidence in the country's scientific and technological strength.
Huawei independently broke through the siege and overcame the bottleneck of chip manufacturing
Faced with the dilemma of being "stuck", the Chinese chip giant Huawei did not choose to give up. They are working tirelessly to break through the technological blockade and are also actively seeking alternatives.
In November 2022, Huawei applied for a patent for an EUV lithography machine, aiming to solve the problem of EUV light source uniformity and pave the way for the development of domestic EUV lithography machines. This patent proposes an innovative method to achieve the purpose of homogenizing the light intensity by controlling the rotation of the mirror so that the interference pattern formed by the coherent light after reflection is constantly changing.
Although there is still a long way to go to truly master the manufacturing technology of EUV lithography machines, this is undoubtedly a key step for Huawei to make chips independent and controllable. Some people pointed out that the emergence of Huawei's patent marks a phased breakthrough in solving the problem of "stuck neck" in chip manufacturing.
Huawei has also proposed an innovative technology called Self-Aligning Quadruple Imaging (SAQP). This technology is expected to break through the current technological bottleneck by making 5nm-level chips without EUV devices by etching multiple times on silicon wafers.
What's even more exciting is that Huawei has partnered with SMIC, the largest chip manufacturer in Chinese mainland, to establish a 5nm chip production line in Shanghai. According to the plan, this production line will be used for mass production of Huawei's self-designed 5nm chip Kirin series.
Although there is still a gap between China and the international advanced level, these measures will inject new impetus into the development of domestic chips. Some people pointed out that if Huawei and SMIC's 5-nanometer chip production is successful, it will bring an unprecedented impact to the US technology blockade.
To truly achieve independent and controllable chips, Chinese companies still have a long way to go. However, with a pioneer like Huawei and the country's strong support in this field, we have reason to believe that China will eventually be able to master core chip technology and occupy a place on the world's science and technology map.
In addition to continuous breakthroughs in technology, Huawei has also made remarkable achievements on the product side. Just last month, they suddenly released the flagship mobile phone Mate 60 series, of which the Mate 60 Pro version is equipped with Huawei's self-developed 7nm chip Kirin 9000S, which re-supports 5G networks.
Domestic chips are on the rise towards the road of independence and controllability
On the road of independent chip innovation, Huawei's achievements can be described as inspiring. The hot sales of the Mate 60 series not only demonstrate Huawei's innovation strength in the sanctioned environment, but also a vivid portrayal of China's chip strength.
Although the process technology of Kirin 9000S is still far from the international advanced level, its performance has surpassed that of old mobile phones in the same price range. Some teachers pointed out that the excellent performance of the Mate 60 series will further stimulate the demand of domestic consumers for domestic chip mobile phones. In the "Huawei VS Apple" showdown, more and more Chinese users have begun to favor "national brands".
The rise of this "national tide" trend is inseparable from the background of the Sino-US science and technology war. In the case of technological blockade by the United States, Chinese consumers are more inclined to support independent and controllable domestic brands to express confidence in the country's scientific and technological strength.
In the future, China's chip industry will usher in greater development opportunities. As long as we maintain our determination and strive for self-improvement, China's chip industry will eventually shine on the world stage of science and technology, contributing to the country's dream of becoming a scientific and technological power.
To truly realize the independence and controllability of chips, we also need to make efforts in talent training, technological innovation, industrial chain construction and other aspects. The government, enterprises, and scientific research institutions need to work closely together to form a joint force, make up for shortcomings, and overcome key core technologies.
Talent is the foundation that supports scientific and technological innovation. We need to vigorously cultivate and introduce high-end talents in the fields of chip design, technology, and materials to provide intellectual support for industrial development. It is also necessary to attach importance to basic education and consolidate the foundation of qualified personnel from the source.
In terms of technological innovation, we should increase investment, encourage original innovation, and cultivate independent intellectual property rights. Whether it is design, manufacturing, materials and equipment, we need to make independent breakthroughs and form core competitiveness.
The construction of the industrial chain is also indispensable. We must promote the coordinated development of upstream and downstream, form a complete industrial ecosystem, and avoid being "stuck". In this process, we need to make full use of the huge domestic market advantages to create a good environment for the development of enterprises.