Spreadtrum Communications Inc., a leading Chinese electronic-chip manufacturer, launched on Wednesday a 40-Nanometer cell phone chip, marking a breakthrough in China's independent research and development of semiconductors.

The 40-NM chip was only 1/1,750 of the thickness of ordinary paper, said Li Liyou, chairman and chief executive officer of the company.

"The smaller 40-NM chip has higher performance while it consumes less power and the cost is lower," Li said.

Li added that mainstream cell phone chip manufacturers around the world now mainly use 65-NM technologies, and that the success of the 40-NM chip development indicated China's homegrown chip makers now are at the top of this field.

Yang Xueshan, Vice Minister of Industry and Information Technology, hailed the 40-NM chip as a milestone in the country's semiconductor industry.

Li said the product has already passed technological tests and is ready for commercial use, as orders for the chips are already coming from cell phone manufacturers in Beijing and Qingdao.

(Xinhua News Agency January 20, 2011)