[HN Gopher] SMIC reaches 7nm without access to western equipment...
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       SMIC reaches 7nm without access to western equipment and
       technologies
        
       Author : hunglee2
       Score  : 24 points
       Date   : 2022-08-29 15:52 UTC (7 hours ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (www.techinsights.com)
 (TXT) w3m dump (www.techinsights.com)
        
       | citboin wrote:
       | SMIC is " Chinese Semiconductor Manufacturing International
       | Corporation ".
        
       | bjourne wrote:
       | This Register article has some more meat:
       | https://www.theregister.com/2022/08/01/column_7nm_chips_chin...
        
         | lizardactivist wrote:
         | It also reads quite accusatory, and with that faint smell of
         | arms rally and crazy dictator speech.
         | 
         | I wonder why we here in the West just can't let China have
         | their microchips.
        
           | pyinstallwoes wrote:
           | Because limiting the growth of silicon is in the interest of
           | national security due to AI takeoff risk.
        
             | pyuser583 wrote:
             | Why AI specifically?
        
           | tarakat wrote:
           | You speak as if China and the West are hermetically sealed-
           | off from each other. The West is worried because, just like
           | every other strategic industry, China will try to take over
           | the global market.
           | 
           | Yes, that's exactly what the West also tried. That doesn't
           | mean it doesn't imperil the West to be on the receiving-end
           | of these tactics.
        
         | jhallenworld wrote:
         | Some 7 nm chips:
         | 
         | Apple A13
         | 
         | AMD Zen 3
         | 
         | Snapdragon 865+
         | 
         | If they never get EUV, but perfect this process, then I suppose
         | the above are possible..
        
       | mrlonglong wrote:
       | Apparently they stole the tech from TSMC
        
         | hunglee2 wrote:
         | there is no claim for this. SMIC does have ex-TSMC employees
         | amongst staff though, so perhaps this is what you mean
        
         | senttoschool wrote:
         | Got any real legitimate sources?
         | 
         | How can one "steal" something as complicated as 7nm? Did SMIC
         | find a full manual on literally hundreds of thousands of small
         | little decisions that go into making something as complicated
         | as advanced chip manufacturing?
         | 
         | Perhaps they hired people from TSMC? Maybe paid them more?
         | Seems like capitalism then.
         | 
         | Also, this is what happens when the US deny China tech. Yes,
         | they'll fall behind shortly but they have the manpower, will,
         | and intelligence to fill the gap sooner or later.
         | 
         | If the US wants to maintain tech advantage, open up immigration
         | and make it super easy for intelligent people to immigrate and
         | live here. And welcome them instead of being racists to them so
         | they stay.
        
           | cromwellian wrote:
           | TechInsights reverse engineered one of SMIC's 7nm ASICS and
           | claims a lot of similarities with TSMC's N7 process.
           | 
           | https://www.tomshardware.com/news/china-chipmaker-
           | smics-7nm-...
        
             | senttoschool wrote:
             | I haven't read the actual TechInsights report. Did they
             | plainly accuse SMIC for copying or simply stated that some
             | parts of the node are similar?
             | 
             | I see that Tomshardware has added additional commentary to
             | make it seem like TechInsights' report is evidence that
             | SMIC has copied TSMC.
             | 
             | Western media has a way of spinning any advancement China
             | makes as copying the west. Perhaps this is one way for
             | westerners to feel superior and deny that the Chinese are
             | capable of similar feats.
        
             | jpgvm wrote:
             | Copy or not, if it bears resemblance to TSMC N7 that is
             | very impressive.
        
           | linksnapzz wrote:
           | "If the US wants to maintain tech advantage, it'd better stop
           | being so American!"
        
             | senttoschool wrote:
             | Walk around Silicon Valley a little. How many high tech
             | workers, CEOs, and founders are immigrants or children of
             | immigrants? If I have to guess, I'd probably say 80%.
        
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       (page generated 2022-08-29 23:02 UTC)