Following up on the move to restrict China’s largest contract chip manufacturer, the
Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) from importing fabrication equipment for making 10nm-class chips in the year 2020, the U.S. is now mulling raising this prohibition up to 14nm-class chip making tools, as per
a Reuters report.
The SMIC has been the only reported chip manufacturing facility in China that makes 14nm-chips on average since late 2019. The move is said to further hamper China’s efforts at making more state-of-the-art chips employing latest technologies and equipment,
after COVID-19 lockdowns slowed manufacturing outputs sizeably.
A
Department of Commerce (DOC) spokesperson divulged, "with respect to semiconductor-related export license applications in particular, (Commerce) and the other reviewing agencies ... consider a variety of factors in making licensing decisions, including the technology node for the proposed export." Meanwhile, exports of machinery for making less advanced semiconductors remain legal without export licenses. This facilitates ample availability of such chips currently facing shortage in the automobiles and evhttps://www.neowin.net/news/us-mulls-restricting-the-export-of-chipmaking-tools-for-chinas-smic/eryday consumer electronics market.
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