Huawei Targets 1.4nm-Equivalent Chips by 2031 With New Tau Scaling Law
Updated
Updated · WIRED · May 27
Huawei Targets 1.4nm-Equivalent Chips by 2031 With New Tau Scaling Law
4 articles · Updated · WIRED · May 27
HiSilicon said its new “Tau’s Scaling Law” will deliver chip performance equivalent to a 1.4-nanometer process by 2031, with Huawei promising a proof point before winter 2026.
Instead of relying on transistor shrinkage, Huawei says it is boosting speed across circuits, chips and whole systems—using techniques such as LogicFolding and faster chip-to-chip interconnects to cut data-movement time.
US export controls forced Huawei off TSMC and onto SMIC’s older tools, leaving China more than five years behind the frontier by some estimates and pushing the company toward alternatives to Moore’s Law.
That target would narrow the gap with TSMC, which is expected to introduce 1.4-nanometer chips in 2028, though analysts say Huawei still must prove the approach can scale into mass production from 2027 onward.
Can Huawei's radical 'chip folding' strategy truly bypass US sanctions and outperform traditional Moore's Law scaling?
Will Huawei's promised 'surprise chip' prove its new law can truly challenge TSMC and Samsung's market dominance?
Huawei Unveils Tau Scaling Law and LogicFolding: Redefining Chip Density and Performance Under Geopolitical Pressure
Overview
Huawei is making a bold move in the semiconductor industry by introducing the τ Scaling Law and LogicFolding, signaling a major shift in its chip strategy. At a recent expo, Huawei revealed plans for new processors, including a flagship chip for the Mate 90 series that aims to match the performance of current 3nm chips. Instead of focusing on shrinking transistors, Huawei is targeting a density equivalent to a 1.4nm process by using advanced stacking and packing techniques. This innovative approach has sparked industry discussions about Huawei’s progress and its potential to redefine chip performance and design.