– Huawei plans to reach TSMC’s 1.4 nm class through logic folding and advanced stacking, aiming for high transistor density without relying on EUV lithography.
– China aims to field a functional EUV tool by 2031, plus techniques like SAQP, to move toward 5 nm and denser silicon with SMIC and Huawei.
– Cooling and thermal management will be a critical challenge for stacked designs, requiring effective solutions within a five-year window.
In this year, SMIC, china’s leading semiconductor manufacturing foundry, sits behind TSMC, Samsung Foundry and Intel by more than a few nodes, and that gap isn’t vanishing soon, though it might shrink. Huawei has announced it plans to compete with TSMC’s 1.4 nm node in 2031, which would still trail by a generation or so, but could keep China’s tech ecosystem reasonably aligned with Western peers.
Logic Folding and the Path to Higher Density
paragraph with a slightly different voice explains how logic folding would work. Huawei says it will use this approach to stack two chips on top of each other, meaning more transistor density within the same die area without relying on smaller patterning techniques. This avoids immediate reliance on EUV tools, which China currently lacks, at least in present capabilities. The next-gen Kirin 2026 is pitched as among the first commercial chips to employ logic folding.
EUV Progress and 2 nm Ambitions
Huawei notes that China has allegedly assembled a partially functional EUV machine with input from ex-ASML engineers. It isn’t fully operational yet, but could be by 2031. Paired with Huawei’s ongoing push to conquer the 2 nm barrier using methods like SAQP, this combination might enable Huawei and SMIC to challenge the 5 nm barrier and achieve denser silicon.
- Cooling remains a critical challenge with stacked designs that generate more heat than traditional layouts.
- The timeline remains uncertain, but Huawei has five years to resolve process inefficiencies.
- Progress to date suggests uneven but notable advances in process technology.
Huawei acknowledges the cooling challenge but stresses that for now it is still early to judge the overall feasibility, and that the strategic plan spans several years to iron out the technological kinks and optimize yields. The company asserts that the momentum is sufficient to keep expectations realistic while pursuing ambitious goals.
