China's Breakthrough in Semiconductor Technology: First Radiation Chip Enters Mass Production

China's state-owned nuclear corporation, the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), has announced the mass production of an innovative semiconductor chip for detecting X-ray and gamma radiation. This event marks another significant step in China's pursuit of technological breakthroughs in the semiconductor sector. In an official statement on its WeChat channel, CNNC highlighted that the self-developed chip is capable of measuring radiation doses ranging from 100 nanoSieverts per hour to 10 milliSieverts per hour. For comparison, during a flight on a commercial airplane, the average radiation dose is about 3,000 nanoSieverts per hour. The chip has applicable potential in various areas, such as monitoring radiation doses in nuclear work environments and the environment. Additionally, it can be integrated into smartphones and drones, upgrading them to intelligent radiation detection devices. Despite its compact size of 15 mm x 15 mm x 3 mm, the chip's sensitivity is comparable to a Geiger-Müller counter. The development comes amid the ongoing technological rivalry between China and the USA, with China vigorously pursuing the goal of technological self-sufficiency in semiconductor manufacturing. President Xi Jinping recently emphasized the central role of science and technology in China's modernization and highlighted the necessity of self-reliance in these areas.