Huawei’s latest Pura 80 series launched recently, introducing their flagship smartphone range powered by the familiar 7nm Kirin 9020, the same chip used in last year’s Mate 70 series. Despite the shift from the ‘N + 1’ to ‘N + 2’ architecture, Huawei seems to have hit a development cap. Meanwhile, China’s largest semiconductor maker, SMIC, has reportedly developed its 5nm technology. There are whispers that Huawei’s Kirin might soon embrace this advancement, although it’s unlikely we’ll see anything materialize this year.
The path to a 5nm Kirin SoC, even if attainable, would likely be expensive due to current manufacturing equipment constraints. A source on Weibo, translated as ‘Smart chip consultant,’ suggests a 5nm chipset is in the works, although we might not see it in any flagship until 2026. This year, Huawei and others can only utilize the N + 2 architecture, as seen in the Kirin 9020, due to current limitations with SMIC’s DUV equipment.
US restrictions on sales of ASML’s EUV machines to Chinese firms complicate the mass production of 5nm wafers, leading to various challenges for Huawei, such as low yield rates and increased production costs. The existing DUV technology can produce 5nm chips through multi-patterning, but it comes with issues like higher mask counts, greater complexity, and increased defect rates. There’s hope that China’s homegrown EUV machines could begin trial production by Q3 2025, potentially eliminating the need for overseas equipment.
Further complicating matters, the US has ceased sales of essential EDA tools to China. These tools are vital for semiconductor development, and Huawei reportedly used 14nm EDA tools for the Kirin 9020. It’s uncertain whether they’ll continue relying on these tools or develop new ones for future 5nm innovations. Despite these hurdles, we remain on the lookout for major developments and will share updates promptly.
