SMIC MinerVa

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2022: TechInsights experts' conclusion on TSMC technology copying in SMIC MinerVa chip manufacturing

On July 25, 2022, information appeared that Chinese the contract chipmaker SMIC was convicted of copying chip production technologies, writes the Tom's Hardware portal. After studying the structure of the SMIC MinerVa ASIC chip, experts from the analytical company TechInsights came to the conclusion that its production uses owned TSMC technologies.

TSMC has already repeatedly sued its Chinese rival for stealing its developments. She filed such lawsuits in 2002 and 2006, and TechInsights' application may be the reason for another trial.

According to a report by TechInsights, the internal layout of the MinerVa chip designed for cryptocurrency mining looks quite simple. The chip itself measures only 4.6x4.2 mm. According to experts, this means that SMIC is still in the early stages of mastering the release of 7-nanometer chips.

On the other hand, it cannot be ruled out that SMIC is "stuffing its hand" by training on the production of such structurally simple microcircuits according to a relatively new technical process for itself. TechInsights analysts believe that in parallel with this, the company is in the process of further debugging this topology. "This small-scale product could be a springboard for a true 7nm process technology," TechInsights said in a statement.

However, the company itself does not yet recognize this. In 2020, SMIC spoke about preparations for the launch of a small-scale production of such chips with the second generation N + 1 FinFET process technology. There was no talk of large-scale stamping of microcircuits - the company is officially concentrating on the production of 14- and 12-nanometer products.

According to TechInsights experts, SMIC is significantly behind TSMC and Samsung in terms of complexity of its 7nm production. The report also mentions Intel, but it does not yet have its own 7nm capacity.

Analysts associate the lag of SMIC, first of all, with. the American sanctions^[1]

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