Huawei is allegedly testing China-made EUV chip-making machine

Huawei has been striving to improve its chip production, and seems that the China-made EUV equipment could help the company with this goal. A piece of information says that the Chinese tech giant is testing a new in-house EUV chipmaking machine.

X tipster @MaWooKong (via WCCFtech) reveals that Huawei started testing a China-made EUV chip-making equipment. A Chinese firm issued a patent for the respective machine in 2023. Perhaps the equipment might have received approval.

The tipster added that Huawei is testing the new semiconductor-producing equipment in its Dongguan facility. It is built with LDP (Laser Discharge induced Plasma) tech.

What’s the difference between LPP and LDP?

ASML’s LPP (Laser-Produced Plasma) uses high-energy lasers and complex Field Programmable Gate Array-based controls. These are highly-efficient and expensive techniques that help in developing powerful as well as advanced chips.

LDP, on the flip side, has a simpler and smaller design. This eventually leads to lower power consumption and cost-effective semiconductor manufacturing.

Inputs reveal that LDP can generate 13.5nm EUV radiation via vaporizing the tin between electrodes and converting it to plasma using high-voltage discharge with electron-ion collisions thus, producing the required wavelength.

Huawei is allegedly testing China-made EUV chip-making machine (Image Credits: X)

EUV vs DUV

Huawei and the Chinese chip industry have been relying on early-generation (DUV) lithography systems with 248nm and 193nm wavelengths. It is not only used to increase wafers manufacturing cost but also took lengthy processes.

However, with the new China-developed EUV machine, chip production will become easier than before. Chinese companies would be able to manufacture better chipsets regardless of the US sanctions. It will likely be a great help for Huawei and SMIC.

X tipsters said the new Chinese EUV chip-making tool will undergo trial production in the third quarter of this year, while it could initiate mass production next year.

Disclaimer: This article contains information based on X tipsters. Please take this news with a pinch of salt, as it has not been officially confirmed. Details about tech products, features, or company strategies can change.