SMICthe leading Chinese semiconductor manufacturer, is shipping chips made with 7-nanometer production processa technology that did not seem within its reach given the US sanctions to curb its technological growth. In fact, it was thought that SMIC could not go beyond 14 nanometers. But how is it possible that SMIC has made a similar acceleration? Maybe by copying? It is the thesis that is circulating in these hours.

According to what was reported by TechInsights, SMIC has produced a 7-nanometer chip called MiverVa7 designed by MinerVa Semiconductor and intended for Bitcoin mining. “Initial images suggest it is a true copy of TSMC’s 7nm process“, writes the site in its technical analysis. Huge state subsidies, a talent acquisition campaign in the TSMC ranks and the development of local skills would have allowed SMIC to overcome sanctions and advance in the world of lithographic production.

The fact that SMIC apparently copied TSMC’s technology is not entirely surprising, given that the Taiwanese company had twice sued the Chinese competitor for the same reason in the past. Although TSMC, Intel and Samsung have more advanced production processes of at least two generations, the progress of SMIC cannot go unnoticed given the restrictions established by the US government that prevent it from acquiring machinery for production with EUV lithography. Furthermore, the United States is considering extending the sanctions to DUV machinery as well.

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SMIC can leverage existing machinery to produce at 7nm, and so the Chinese producer seems to have done, albeit probably with lower yields and higher costs. Problems that Beijing could be of interest to a certain extent, which can be traded with ever greater independence from Western technology.

The MinerVa chip does not seem to be very complex, but its debut could be the preamble to the realization of more important projects.



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