These sanctions are marketed as being aimed at military applications, but the dirty little secret is that high-end semiconductors are irrelevant for military tech, which overwhelmingly uses previous-gen semiconductor tech.
Yep. Laymen do not understand why Moore’s Law came to an end, or at least the shrinking part. The microstructures are hard to produce, but it’s because we’re literally hitting the limits of silicon and EM fields. The smaller ones have been more sensitive and have far more internal interference for generations by now.
but the dirty little secret is that high-end semiconductors are irrelevant for military tech, which overwhelmingly uses previous-gen semiconductor tech.
I can certainly see that for currently developed and deployed military applications, but what about next gen system in development? Hence my thought about small yields being fine. If their weapons researchers are still developing with engineering samples, then very low yields is fine because it keeps development moving.
I think the ultimate Chinese goal is to match or overtake Taiwan. The Taiwanese exclusive ability to produce high quality chips is an economic guarantee of independence… if China can remove it then the most pragmatic reason to ensure Taiwanese independence evaporates. The US will still probably try and defend Taiwan but it will be “less necessary”.
I agree, but their goal may not be high yields needed for commercial sales, but lower yield for domestic military applications.
These sanctions are marketed as being aimed at military applications, but the dirty little secret is that high-end semiconductors are irrelevant for military tech, which overwhelmingly uses previous-gen semiconductor tech.
Yep. Laymen do not understand why Moore’s Law came to an end, or at least the shrinking part. The microstructures are hard to produce, but it’s because we’re literally hitting the limits of silicon and EM fields. The smaller ones have been more sensitive and have far more internal interference for generations by now.
I can certainly see that for currently developed and deployed military applications, but what about next gen system in development? Hence my thought about small yields being fine. If their weapons researchers are still developing with engineering samples, then very low yields is fine because it keeps development moving.
I think the ultimate Chinese goal is to match or overtake Taiwan. The Taiwanese exclusive ability to produce high quality chips is an economic guarantee of independence… if China can remove it then the most pragmatic reason to ensure Taiwanese independence evaporates. The US will still probably try and defend Taiwan but it will be “less necessary”.