Huawei Patent Indicates Potential for 2nm Chip Production Without EUV Equipment

Huawei has reportedly outlined a technical pathway to manufacture advanced 2-nanometer semiconductors using legacy equipment, signaling a potential breakthrough in bypassing strict U.S. technology export controls.

According to a report by the technology news outlet Huawei Central published on December 2, 2025, Huawei has secured a new patent that details methods for achieving cutting-edge chip performance without relying on restricted extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines.

The patent, identified as CN119301758A, discloses a "Metal Integration Method for Manufacturing Integrated Devices." The documentation suggests utilizing multi-patterning techniques, specifically Self-Aligned Quadruple Patterning (SAQP), combined with existing Deep Ultraviolet (DUV) lithography tools. By optimizing the back-end-of-line (BEOL) process, the technology aims to achieve 21-nanometer metal pitches, a density specification typically associated with the 2nm process nodes produced by global foundries.

This development follows significant progress in Huawei's semiconductor capabilities. In 2025, the company reportedly achieved 5-nanometer production capabilities for its Kirin 9030 processor used in the new Mate 80 smartphone series. The patent implies a continued strategic reliance on domestic foundry partners, such as Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC), to extend the utility of unrestricted DUV machinery to advanced nodes.

Industry researchers cited in the report note that this approach utilizes a dual-step spacer-defined patterning method to create fully self-aligned vias. While complex, this technique is viewed as a cost-effective solution to improve interconnect reliability and reduce capacitance delay. The successful commercialization of this technology would allow Chinese chipmakers to produce semiconductors equivalent to 3nm and 2nm nodes, potentially neutralizing the impact of ongoing sanctions that limit access to the world's most advanced chipmaking tools.