SMIC

US Sanctions in action: SMIC removes 14nm technology from list

China’s largest chip maker SMIC (Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp.) has quietly removed 14nm fabrication technology from its website’s list of services. The company recently announced its earnings report and said nothing about FinFET-based technologies. did not speak.

Recent export control rules from the US government prevent Chinese semiconductor manufacturers from producing chips developed with 14nm/16nm sizes or smaller. Under these rules, Chinese companies face great difficulties in accessing the equipment used to produce pioneer chips.

Acquiring the tools and technologies necessary to manufacture 14nm/16nm logical chips, as well as 3D NAND chips with 128 or more active layers and half-range DRAM ICs of 18nm or less, has become very difficult. The USA is already leading the way. Countries such as the Netherlands, Japan, and Taiwan impose similar restrictions, and many sanctions will come into effect by mid-2023.

SMIC, which cannot reach the advanced equipment produced by companies such as ASML, Applied Materials, KLA and Lam Research, cannot also supply spare parts. The Chinese manufacturer has made an attack in recent years, but due to obstacles, they may not be able to produce chips with current production technologies. In this context, the 14nm platform may be off the table due to restrictions.

SMIC has been using 14nm-class fabrication technology at its SN1 facility since the end of 2019. One of the 14nm SoCs produced by the company is Huawei’s HiSilicon Kirin 710A. But despite being technically in mass production, 14nm volumes are so limited that it’s not even included in the financial statements.

Yazar Fatih Işık