In a move that could shake the very substrate of the semiconductor world, Huawei is tearing through sanctions and silicon limits alike, laying the groundwork for 3nm chips powered by Gate-All-Around (GAA) transistors and carbon nanotubes. With a projected tape-out by 2026, the company is blazing a new trail without access to EUV lithography — and without asking permission.
Huawei’s roadmap is as defiant as it is ambitious. At the heart of it lies a dual-track research program: one focusing on standard GAA designs, akin to those employed by Samsung and TSMC, and another aiming straight for the future with carbon nanotube-based transistors. The latter has reportedly cleared lab validation and is now being adapted for production by China’s biggest foundry, SMIC.
Cut off from ASML’s EUV technology due to U.S.-driven sanctions, Huawei is relying on SMEE’s SSA800 deep-UV lithography machines with multi-patterning. It’s a complex, yield-sensitive path — but one that is proving viable. Huawei’s Kirin X90, used in the new Matebook Fold, already showcases a 7nm design with performance comparable to 5nm chips, albeit with a modest 50% yield. Still, it’s a clear sign the company is learning how to scale advanced nodes under pressure.
Huawei’s growing dominance in high-end chip development isn’t limited to mobile. With deep investments in AI, computing, and domestic fabrication, the company is emerging as China’s most vertically integrated tech force. By shifting away from traditional silicon and pioneering 2D materials at the 3nm scale, Huawei is not only leapfrogging legacy dependencies but also reinventing the roadmap.
There are whispers that Samsung Foundry may be watching closely — or even engaging quietly — given its own GAA experience. But Huawei isn’t betting on collaboration. It’s betting on reinvention, even at the atomic scale.
With China aggressively backing homegrown innovation and Huawei proving it can deliver cutting-edge hardware under pressure, the global tech balance is shifting. If 3nm carbon-based chips hit production as promised, the semiconductor world may not just be entering a post-silicon era — it may be entering a post-Western one.
Sidebar: What Does This Mean?
- No EUV, No Problem: Huawei’s use of SMEE’s SSA800 shows China can still scale advanced nodes using clever workarounds.
- Two-Track Strategy: GAA for near-term results; carbon nanotubes for long-term dominance.
- Geopolitical Tech Showdown: If successful, Huawei’s 3nm breakthrough could recalibrate the US-China tech war.
Expect sparks. Silicon just became optional.
