Huawei Establishes Home-Grown Lithography R&D Base

As part of its strategic initiative to reduce reliance on foreign chipmakers, Huawei has unveiled plans to establish a cutting-edge research and development facility. This move comes in response to the company being restricted by US export controls from accessing chips from overseas suppliers. In a bid to bolster its in-house capabilities, Huawei is actively seeking to recruit skilled engineers with expertise in chip equipment manufacturing. The company is particularly interested in individuals who have worked with industry giants such as Applied Materials, Lam Research, KLA, ASML, as well as leading chip manufacturers like TSMC, Samsung, and Intel. To attract top talent, Huawei is reportedly offering salaries that are double the industry average, according to Nikkei reports.

Despite its ambitious goals, Huawei's working culture has come under scrutiny, with reports suggesting a demanding and intense environment. In pursuit of advancements in lithography technology, engineers at Huawei are reportedly working grueling hours that exceed the traditional '996' schedule, which entails working from 9 am to 9 pm, six days a week. This relentless drive for innovation underscores Huawei's determination to achieve technological breakthroughs in semiconductor manufacturing.

Looking ahead, industry analysts are speculating that Huawei is poised to unveil a groundbreaking 5nm System-on-Chip (SoC) by 2024. This highly anticipated chip, potentially named the Kirin 9010, is expected to succeed the 7nm Kirin 9000S. Huawei has forged a partnership with leading Chinese foundry SMIC to realize its vision of producing cutting-edge 5nm chips. To achieve this milestone, Huawei is reportedly exploring self-aligned quad-patterning techniques using deep-ultraviolet (DUV) lithography. While this approach shows promise, the intricate process of quad-patterning with DUV light may result in slower production speeds and lower yields compared to extreme ultraviolet lithography.

In a bid to strengthen its semiconductor ecosystem, Huawei played a pivotal role in supporting the establishment of a local chip foundry in Shenzhen back in 2022. The foundry, known as Pengxinwei IC Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (PXW), is spearheaded by a former Huawei executive and is slated to commence production on a 28nm CMOS manufacturing process in 2025. With plans to progress to more advanced nodes such as 14nm and 7nm, PXW represents a significant step towards achieving semiconductor self-sufficiency in China.

Furthermore, the landscape of semiconductor manufacturing in China is evolving rapidly, with companies like Naura Technology making significant strides in lithography systems. Naura, a prominent manufacturer of etching and chemical vapor deposition tools, has initiated research and development efforts to enhance its lithography capabilities. This development sets the stage for increased competition in the sector, with Naura poised to challenge established players like Shanghai Micro Electronics Equipment Group (SMEE) and SiCarrier (Shenzhen Xinkailai Technology Co. Ltd.). These initiatives underscore Huawei's broader vision of fostering a robust and self-reliant semiconductor industry ecosystem in China.