Chip Manufacturing Archives - Gizmochina

Tech War Intensifies: China’s Lithography Breakthrough Challenges U.S. Semiconductor Edge

Joane — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 11:40:51 +0000

Key Highlights:

Chinese researchers at Peking University achieve a world-first visualization of photoresist behavior using cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET).
The discovery could help China reduce reliance on foreign photoresist materials and improve chip yields at advanced nodes.
The breakthrough deepens the ongoing U.S.-China tech rivalry, potentially influencing global chip prices and supply for everyday electronics.

Source: Peking University

China’s Breakthrough in Lithography Materials

China has achieved a significant milestone in semiconductor technology that could alter the global landscape in chip manufacturing. A team led by Professor Hailin Peng from Peking University, working with domestic collaborators, has developed a method to reduce defects in chip lithography dramatically. Using cryo-electron tomography, a technique more commonly seen in biology, the researchers visualized how light-sensitive photoresist materials behave at the molecular level during chip production.

For the first time, scientists were able to see how photoresist polymers interact in liquid film and at gas–liquid interfaces, uncovering the hidden causes of defects that limit chip yields. The team’s new process reportedly eliminated up to 99% of these defects under industrial conditions, marking a turning point for China’s semiconductor ambitions.

Why This Matters

Photoresist materials are essential for defining nanoscale circuits on silicon wafers. Until now, China has depended heavily on imports, with over 90% of its photoresist supply coming from Japan. By developing its own high-performance photoresist and imaging technology, China is moving closer to self-reliance in one of the most critical areas of chipmaking.

The discovery could improve manufacturing yields in processes like lithography, etching, and cleaning, vital steps for producing chips at 7nm and smaller scales. It also strengthens China’s position in the global semiconductor supply chain, which has long been dominated by companies in the U.S., Japan, and South Korea.

Implications for the United States

This development adds fresh urgency to U.S. efforts to maintain technological leadership. While American institutions such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) are advancing photoresist metrology and next-generation EUV lithography, China’s rapid progress suggests a narrowing gap.

The U.S. has invested heavily under the CHIPS and Science Act to bolster domestic semiconductor R&D, including materials and lithography systems. However, China’s success in solving long-standing material science problems shows it is no longer just catching up but setting new benchmarks in applied semiconductor research.

Whats Next for China and US

China’s progress in lithography materials signals more than scientific advancement; it’s a strategic move toward technological independence. By tackling one of the toughest bottlenecks in chip production, China is positioning itself as a formidable competitor in the race for semiconductor supremacy.

For the U.S., the challenge now is to accelerate innovation not just in chip design and fabrication, but in the underlying materials science that powers the future of computing.

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China is Trying to go Toe-to-Toe with South Korea, the US in Advanced Chip Development

Anubhav — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 14:26:21 +0000

As per recent news, China has taken a significant leap forward with the development of its first advanced mobile memory chip, marking a critical step in its technological rivalry with South Korea and the United States. This achievement by ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) demonstrates China’s revitalized growth in the semiconductor industry.

The launch of the first advanced mobile memory chip is a testament

CXMT’s introduction of the lower power Double Data Rate 5 (LPDDR5) dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chip is a notable development in the field of mobile technology. This type of memory chip, crucial for electronic devices such as smartphones and laptops, was initially pioneered by South Korea’s Samsung Electronics in 2018. China’s successful production of this chip is particularly remarkable given the increased US sanctions aimed at hindering its advancement in high-tech manufacturing.

This breakthrough is not just about technological prowess; it’s a strategic move for China to reduce its reliance on imported technology, a significant step towards self-reliance in a critical sector. The validation of these chips by prominent Chinese smartphone manufacturers like Xiaomi and Transsion underscores the practical application and market readiness of this technology.

Moreover, this achievement comes amidst a challenging environment where China faces restrictions in accessing high-end lithography systems from international suppliers. Despite these hurdles, the country has shown steady progress in semiconductor development and manufacturing technologies. The launch of Huawei Technologies’ Mate 60 Pro smartphone, powered by a locally made advanced chip, further illustrates China’s capabilities in this domain.

CXMT’s new memory chip not only offers a 50% improvement in data transfer speed and capacity but also a 30% reduction in power consumption compared to its previous versions. This advancement is set to enhance China’s position in the competitive mobile devices market.

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Samsung chooses Texas for its new $17 billion chip manufacturing plant in the United States

Jeet — Wed, 24 Nov 2021 04:20:05 +0000

Samsung, which is among the leading chipset manufacturers, is gearing up to set up its new chip production plant in the United States. For that, the South Korean giant had shortlisted two potential locations.

Now, the company has officially confirmed that it has chosen a site close to the city of Tylor in Texas for its new chip manufacturing plant. For this, Samsung will be making an investment of $17 billion — its biggest-ever in the United States.

The plant is expected to create some 2,000 technology industry jobs, with construction starting early next year. It is expected to be operational by the second half of 2024.

Kinam Kim, chief executive of Samsung electronics device solutions said: “With greater manufacturing capacity, we will be able to better serve the needs of our customers and contribute to the stability of the global semiconductor supply chain.”

It has also been announced from the governor’s office that the company would get a $27 million grant for creating jobs in the state. Samsung is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of chips with more than 20,000 employees across the US.

The new chips made at this new Texas facility will be used in a range of technologies and devices, including mobile phones, 5G, high-performance computing, and artificial intelligence, among others.

Earlier, a proposed resolution posted on the Taylor city’s website showed that for the land Samsung will use, it is set to be offered a grant equivalent to 92.5% of assessed property tax for 10 years, 90% for the following 10 years, and then 85% in the 10 years after that.

Samsung postpones its next-gen 3nm chip production until next year

Jeet — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 06:25:45 +0000

Nowadays, 5nm manufacturing is the most advanced technology when it comes to making modern chips. Now, companies are working on the next generation of chipset manufacturing tech and the next major thing could be 3nm manufacturing.

A couple of years back, Samsung had unveiled the 3GAE (3nm Gate-All-Around Early) and 3GAP (3nm Gate-All-Around Plus) nodes, promising substantial reduction in power consumption and enhancements in overall performance.

Now, the South Korean giant has announced the postponement of the 3nm chip manufacturing technology until 2022. Not just that, the company has also postponed the 2nm chip until 2025.

Samsung chip foundry uses cutting-edge technologies to manufacture chipsets and includes the likes of Qualcomm, IBM, and Samsung itself as its clients. The company competes against TSMC, which also announced a few months back that will postpone the launch of its 3nm chipset.

At the time of its announcement in 2019, Samsung had claimed that the 3nm process could offer a 35 percent performance jump, in addition to a 50 percent reduction in power consumption when compared with the 7LPP nodes technique.

Postponement of the newer technology makes sense given that the chip manufacturers are under immense pressure to keep producing chips as there’s currently a global shortage of chips and the company wants to go with the established process with a high yield rate compared to the experimental process.

Samsung Foundry is the second-largest smartphone chip-maker after TSMC. It is an independent arm of Samsung and continues to provide critical supplies which is the reason behind the South Korean technology giant weathering the global chip shortage without significantly affecting the business.

Intel will now manufacture chips for Qualcomm; aims to lead foundry market by 2025

Jeet — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 02:13:31 +0000

Intel has today announced Qualcomm as the first major customer for its new Intel Foundry Services business. Qualcomm, which is powering most of the premium Android smartphones with its Snapdragon lineup of chips, will have its chips manufactured by Intel in the coming years.

For manufacturing chips, Intel will be using its upcoming 20A process which will use new transistor technology to help reduce chip power consuption. As of now, there’s no information about which products from Qualcomm will be manufactured by Intel and when the Intel-made Qualcomm products will arrive in the market.

Apart from Qualcomm, Intel has also announced Amazon Web Services as another new customer for the foundry chip business. However, Amazon won’t be using Intel’s chip-making technology but will use packaging technology. It is basically a process of assembling chips and “chiplets” or “tiles” by stacking them up.

Intel 20A will rely on two new technologies — RibbonFET and PowerVia. RibbonFET is Intel’s first new transistor architecture since FinFET in 2011. It delivers faster transistor switching speeds while achieving the same drive current as multiple fins in a smaller footprint.

On the other hand, PowerVia is Intel’s industry-first implementation of backside power delivery, which optimizes signal transmission by eliminating the need for power routing on the front side of the wafer. Also, Starting as early as 2025, the company will tap a new generation of machines from ASML that use extreme ultraviolet lithography.

The company is also changing the naming method for its technologies. Intel 7 offers 10-15% performance-per-watt increase versus Intel 10nm SuperFin, based on FinFET transistor optimizations. It will be used in products like Alder Lake for clients in 2021 and Sapphire Rapids for the data center.

The Intel 4 uses EUV lithography to print small features using ultra-short wavelength light. It is expected to offer around 20% performance-per-watt increase, along with area improvements. It will be ready for production in the second half of 2022 for products shipping in 2023.

Intel 3 leverages further FinFET optimizations and increased EUV to deliver an approximately 18% performance-per-watt increase over Intel 4. It will be ready to begin manufacturing products in the second half of 2023.

With these new customers and the latest technologies, Intel is expecting to regain its market lead by 2025. In the foundry services business, the company will be competing against market leaders like TSMC and Samsung.

Samsung Electronics to start construction of its chip plant in the United States in Q3 2021

Jeet — Tue, 18 May 2021 12:32:06 +0000

Samsung Electronics, the world’s leading smartphone maker as well as one of the leaders in the chip manufacturing business, is reportedly all set to start construction of chip plant in the United States in the third quarter of this year.

The U.S. chip plant, which is estimated to cost around $17 billion, is expected to be operational by the year 2024. The report comes through Reuters which has cited a South Korean newspaper as its source.

It adds that Samsung is planning to apply an advanced 5-nanometer extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography chip-making process at the plant. While not yet confirmed by the company, the new plant is expected to be in Austin, Texas.

Documents filed with Texas state officials previously showed Samsung is considering Austin as one of the sites for a new $17 billion chip plant. As per the company’s own estimates, it will create around 1,800 jobs.

U.S. President Joe Biden has proposed $50 billion to support chip manufacturing, which has spurred companies like Intel Corp and contract manufacturer Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co to consider major new investments.

Recently, it was reported that TSMC could be planning to invest tens of billions of dollars for establishing cutting-edge chip factories in the United States, likely in the state of Arizona. As noted above, the moves comes after Joe Biden signed an executive order incentivizing manufacturers to shift base to the United States.

Samsung is the world’s largest memory chip producer and the second largest foundry firm. For the upcoming $17 billion foundry factory in the US, apart from Texas, it is also considering other locations, including Arizona and New York.

It’s noteworthy that the company already has a chip facility in Austin, Texas, but the need for additional U.S. investment emerged after its rival companies have moved ahead for capacity expansions. TSMC has announced that it will invest $100 billion over the next three years for capacity expansion.

Taiwan says Chip firms will comply with new US rules that blacklists Chinese companies

Sean — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 09:50:29 +0000

Earlier today (14th April 2021), Taiwan said that its chip based firms will comply with the new US regulations, which had Washington add seven Chinese companies into its economic blacklist.

According to a Reuters report, these companies include China based supercomputing firms, which the US Commerce Department said were “involved with building supercomputers used by China’s military actors, its destabilizing military modernization efforts, and/or weapons of mass destruction programs.” For those unaware, blacklisted companies or other firms on the list are required to apply for licenses from the Commerce Department and face strict scrutiny when they seek permissions to receive items from suppliers based in the US.

At the moment, Taiwan is a major supplier of semiconductors for various industries across the globe. Now, Taiwanese Economy Minister Wang Mei-hua stated that the local chip firms will follow US rules and regulations, saying that “Our companies, whether producers or exporters, must accord with our country’s rules. Of course the United States has new rules, and our companies will pay attention and accord with the key criteria of the U.S. rules.”

Notably, the addition of the seven new firms into the blacklist arrives amid rising frictions between China over Taiwan. Furthermore, the tensions are also high amid the global shortage of semiconductors that has affected various industries around the world and disrupted supply chains globally. So stay tuned for more, as we will be providing updates when additional information is available regarding this matter or any other important developments.

TSMC rumored to increase price by 25 percent; could lead to increased smartphone pricing

Jeet — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 05:17:52 +0000

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world’s leading contract chipset manufacturer, was recently rumored to increase its pricing by 15 percent because of the on-going chip shortage.

However, the first quarter of the year is about the end and the company has not yet raised the pricing. But a new report coming from United News claims that TSMC could raise the price of its 12-inch wafers by $400.

This could result in a 25 percent price hike which will be an all-time high record. It’s noteworthy that the company has shifted to 5nm process nodes for the chipsets, making them more powerful and energy-efficient.

During the second half of next year, a Taiwan-based company is expected to start shipping 3nm chips. The next-generation process node is forecast to deliver 25%-30% more power and 10% to 15% more performance at the same power levels.

Because of the strong demand for the chips and low supply, TSMC has walked back the discounts that it offered to its customers. But the company is facing other situations that are beyond its control and adds to the company’s expenses.

A lack of rain has created a serious water shortage and the city where TSMC is based received only half the amount of rain in 2020 compared to the previous year. This has forced the company to arrange for water tankers at its facilities.

If TSMC decides to hike wafer prices by 25 percent and cancel the previously negotiated deals with the companies, the smartphone makers could end up shelling more money than they budgeted for and that cost can be passed to the customers.

United States mulls $30 billion funding to boost local chipset manufacturing

Jeet — Fri, 05 Mar 2021 08:08:21 +0000

It has been more than a year since US-China trade war escalated and the one of the most affected sectors is technology-related and the most impacted among the companies is Chinese giant Huawei because of the sanctions imposed by the U.S.

With the escalation in the trade war, many companies are facing production and supply chain issues, forcing those companies to move out from China or diversity their production facilities into more regions.

One of the sector where the United States severely lags behind China is chip manufacturing. However, the U.S. government has been working on new ways to boost the sector and encourage local manufacturing.

In line with that, the U.S. Senate is reportedly considering to include a new bill to boost competitiveness against China for previously-approved measures to supercharge the country’s chipmaking industry.

The $30 billion funding package would include elements to boost the U.S. technology sector and the bill is expected to be up for a full vote in April. However, the legislation has not been finalized and thus, more details are not yet available.

The source of the report, who remains unnamed, says that the package is likely to have provisions to curb China’s access to U.S. capital markets. Last year, a legislature was proposed to provide funding of $100 billion to boost research in key technology areas, from artificial intelligence to quantum computing and semiconductors.

The semiconductor industry has also been pushing for an investment tax credit for spending on semiconductor tools, which can cost billions of dollars for new factories and typically far outstrip the cost of buildings.

TSMC to reportedly start mass production of 3nm chips from H2 2022

Jeet — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 05:29:11 +0000

Since the past couple of years, chipset makers have been making their flagship chips based on the 5nm process. However, manufacturers have been working on a more advanced process, using 3nm and 2nm nodes.

Now, it appears that TSMC, the world’s largest contract manufacturer of chips, will start mass production of 3nm chipsets from next year. As per the report, the company will start production in the second half of 2022 with a capacity to process 30,000 wafers.

It further adds that because of the order commitment from Apple, TSMC will expand the monthly production capacity of its 3nm process to 55,000 units in 2022 and within a year after that, it plans to expand the production to 105,000 units a month.

Compared to the current 5nm process, the new 3nm process reduces power consumption by 30 percent and increases performance by 15 percent. Even with orders for 3nm chips, the company will continue to focus on 5nm chips as well.

In this year, TSMC will be expanding its production capacity for the 5nm chips to meet the increasing demand. Currently, it has a capacity of manufacturing 90,000 units a month but in the first half of this year, it will be increased to 105,000 units. By the end of this year, it plans to further expand the manufacturing capacity to 120,000 units.

By the year 2024, the production capacity of TSMC’s 5nm chips is expected to reach 160,000 units. Apart from Apple, the company’s major clients for the 5nm process include AMD, MediaTek, Marvell, Broadcom, and Qualcomm among others.

However, TSMC has allocated most of its resources for Apple as the company is gearing up to launch its iPhone 13 series which will be powered by the A15 chipset, manufactured using the 5nm+ or N5P process. It is basically a performance enhanced process of 5nm node which also brings power efficiency.

SMIC holds preliminary exchanges with US over export restrictions

Jeet — Mon, 05 Oct 2020 06:25:44 +0000

Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC), one of the largest chipset makers from China is under the radar of the US government and could face export restrictions. Now, the company has confirmed that it held preliminary exchanges with the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security.

In its filing to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, the company says that it is “conducting assessments on the relevant impact of such export restrictions on the company’s production and operation activities,” reports Reuters.

The company has added that it has been operating in compliance with all the relevant laws and regulations of all jurisdictions where it conducts business.

When the reports started surfacing online that the U.S. Department of Commerce has issued letters to some companies asking them to obtain a license to continue supplying goods and services to SMIC.

At that time, China-based SMIC had denied receiving any such notice from the U.S. government and had also mentioned that the company has no relationship with China’s military, which is said to be the reason behind such scrutiny.

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The restrictions or the requirement of a license to conduct business with SMIC is similar to what the United States government has imposed on Huawei, the world’s leading telecom equipment manufacturer, making it very difficult for the Chinese company to maintain its business and operations.

SMIC, which is the largest foundry in China, heavily relies on equipment from the United States as well as US-allied countries for manufacturing chips. Getting restricted could severely impact the company’s ability to conduct business.

Although SMIC is the leading chipset manufacturer in China, the company lags behind in terms of technology compared to its rivals — TSMC and Samsung. However, it recently raised around $6.6 billion through STAR Market for advanced technology. It is also working on reducing its reliance on other countries and has recently purchased a used lithography system from SK Hynix for $11.02 million.

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Huawei reportedly planning to manufacture its own chipsets

Sean — Wed, 19 Aug 2020 07:34:28 +0000

Huawei is apparently planning on manufacturing its own chipsets. Reportedly, the Chinese tech giant will be announcing its plan on creating its own semiconductor chips without requiring any US equipment or components.

According to an RT News report, sources have claimed that Huawei is already considering this route seriously and that part of their manufacturing of chips will be ready by the end of this year. In other words, the company will begin its chip manufacturing process, at least partly, by the year end and compete with industry giants like Samsung, TSMC, Intel, and more.

The move from Huawei is said to be a way to bypass the US, which has been pressuring the Chinese OEM. For those unaware, the US government introduced certain sanctions that banned its chip supply from TSMC, and are further extending the ban to include its supply chains as well. However, the report suggests that the restrictions on Huawei only push it forward to build its own chip manufacturing process.

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Unfortunately, this report is still unconfirmed so take it with a pinch of salt for now. Furthermore, RT News is funded partially or wholly by the Russian government, so the legitimacy of its claims is rather in the gray at the moment. Huawei has yet to comment on the matter either, although, manufacturing semiconductors is an extremely complicated process so we will have to wait and see if the company actually manages to pull this move off.

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Japan reportedly plans to invite TSMC for a joint chip manufacturing plant

Jeet — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 06:18:56 +0000

Japan doesn’t want to be left behind when it comes to the advanced semiconductor business and in line with that, the country is reportedly planning to invite the leading contract chipset manufacturers to set up a production plant in the country.

As per the report from Yomiuri daily (via Reuters), Japan is planning to invite Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd or other global chipmakers to build an advanced chip manufacturing plant along with domestic chip equipment suppliers.

According to the report, the Japanese government is also ready to offer several hundred billion yen, or equivalent to several billion dollars, over the coming years to those chipmakers who join this project.

When contacted by Reuters, the TSMC spokesperson denied such plans at the moment but said that the company would not rule anything out in the future.

The development comes just months after TSMC announced that the company will build an advanced chip foundry in Arizona, United States with support from the state and the federal government. The company expects to spend about $12 billion between 2021 and 2029 on the project, with construction slated to begin next year.

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In compliance with the new rules from the U.S. requiring chipmakers using US-based technology to apply for a license to ship chips to Huawei and other banned entities, TSMC has stopped taking new Huawei orders since May.

TSMC is a leading chipset manufacturer globally with over 50 percent market share. It is known for manufacturing chipsets for major firms like Apple, Qualcomm, Huawei, MediaTek, NVIDIA, Broadcom, ADI, NXP, and others.

Huawei accounted for 23% of the revenue generated by TSMC in 2019. Even after the Huawei ban, TSMC is forecasting revenue of $11.2-11.5 billion for Q3, which is 20.7% more than last year. Additionally, the company increased its revenue growth target to over 20% for 2020 and even increased its capital expenditure to up to $17 billion, from the previously planned $15-16 billion.

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