Chinese breakthroughs in chip tech, air pollution controls headline top science award nominees
- Shortlist of 301 contenders announced for 2023 National Science and Technology Awards
- China’s most prestigious science prizes offer glimpses into country’s top research priorities
China has published a shortlist of contenders for the 2023 National Science and Technology Awards, a preliminary selection that provides insight into the country’s top priorities for scientific research.
The semiconductor industry, in which China is facing Western sanctions, figured prominently on the award shortlist of 301 projects.
A chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) machine for integrated circuits developed by a group of scientists from Tsinghua University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering is expected to take first prize in the State Technological Invention Award.
The machine, which uses chemical and mechanical processes to polish a wafer surface to nano-level accuracy, is one of the five key technologies in the integrated circuit manufacturing process. In 2015, the same team delivered China’s first CMP machine, marking a milestone in domestically produced high-end integrated circuit equipment.
