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October 14
- Kunpeng CPU Processor Chip and Architecture
Unknown
➀ The Kunpeng processor is based on the Arm architecture, which uses the RISC instruction set, different from the CISC instruction set used by Intel and AMD CPUs.
➁ The Kunpeng 920 chip contains 64 cores, with 3 Dies, 2 for computation, and 1 for IO.
➂ The chip architecture includes system security features like Secure Boot and Trust Zone, and an Intelligent Management Unit for data center management.
- TSMC to Utilize 5nm Advanced Packaging HBM4 Memory Chips?
SSDFans
➀ TSMC's HBM4 memory launch brings significant changes, with the most noticeable being the expansion of memory interfaces from 1024 to 2048 bits;
➁ TSMC revealed details about base die for HBM4 manufacturing using improved versions of its N12 and N5 processes at the 2024 European Technology Symposium;
➂ TSMC plans to adopt two different manufacturing processes, N12FFC+ and N5, for the first batch of HBM4 product packaging;
➃ TSMC is working with major HBM memory suppliers like Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix to integrate HBM4 memory technology using advanced process nodes;
➄ TSMC's N12FFC+ process is suitable for achieving HBM4 performance, allowing memory manufacturers to build 12-Hi (48GB) and 16-Hi (64GB) stacks with over 2TB/s bandwidth;
➅ TSMC's N5 process will integrate more logic functions, reduce power consumption, and provide higher performance with very small interconnect spacing, enabling HBM4 direct 3D stacking on logic chips.
- Gree Reduces Its Stake in Unigroup Weitang!
Unknown
➀ Gree Electric Appliances and its affiliate Zhuhai Ronglin plan to reduce their stake in Unigroup Weitang Technology, with each not exceeding 12.4281 million shares, within 3 months from the 15th trading day after the announcement.
➁ The reduction in shares is part of a plan to sell shares through a集中竞价 trading method, with the selling price to be determined by market conditions.
➂ Gree Electric Appliances and Zhuhai Ronglin first invested in Unigroup Weitang Technology in late 2018, contributing 3 billion yuan to help Weitang Technology acquire NXP Semiconductors. This investment has brought significant gains to both parties, with a combined holding value of nearly 220 billion yuan in 2020.
October 13
- Domestic Leader in Automotive Wafer Fabrication: How Unigroup Corelink Integrates Navigates Challenges and Opportunities?
与非网
➀ Unigroup Corelink has achieved a leading position in the automotive wafer fabrication market through its advanced technologies in IGBT, SiC MOSFET, BCD process, MEMS wafer fabrication, and power module packaging.
➁ Corelink was founded in 2018 and has expanded from MEMS and power device wafer fabrication and packaging to wide-bandgap semiconductor process development.
➂ Corelink's product line covers power semiconductors, sensor signal chains, analog mixed-signal high-voltage ICs, and is widely used in new energy vehicles, industrial control, and high-end consumer markets.
- 芯片散热技术解析：挑战与创新
半导体行业观察
➀ The rising heat in chips has become a significant concern in the semiconductor industry, impacting performance, reliability, and safety;
➁ Effective heat dissipation is crucial for the stability and lifespan of electronic systems, especially with the increasing power demands of emerging markets like 5G, AI, and automotive electronics;
➂ This article explores various cooling solutions, including thermal interface materials, metal and ceramic thermal conductive materials, wind cooling, liquid cooling, heat pipes, VC heat sinks, and radiators, each with its advantages and limitations;
➃ Innovative cooling technologies such as loop heat pipes, direct-phase change liquid cooling, and diamond-based thermal management are discussed, showcasing the industry's continuous pursuit of more efficient and sustainable solutions.
- AT&T Accuses Broadcom of Breaching Trust!
芯参考
➀ AT&T accuses Broadcom of raising prices by 1050% and attempting to change the VMware contract;
➁ Broadcom refuses to renew the permanent license support service for AT&T unless AT&T agrees to certain conditions;
➂ These conditions would cause AT&T to lose tens of millions of dollars more than the cost of the support service;
➃ The proposed annual growth rate is 1050%, which is not the expected way of doing business with a strategic partner;
➄ Broadcom's acquisition of VMware and the transition from perpetual license to subscription model have been criticized by many users;
➅ Some users report that the renewal cost has increased by 500% and 600%.
- Tian Shui Huatian New Production Line Upgrade Project Begins, Total Investment of 4.8 Billion Yuan
微信公众号
➀ The Tian Shui Huatian Technology Co., Ltd. automotive electronics production line upgrade project commenced on October 11th;
➁ The project covers a total construction area of 106,800 square meters and has an investment of 4.8 billion yuan;
➂ Upon completion, the project is expected to increase annual sales revenue by 2.159 billion yuan.
- Changfly's 15km Continuous Length Hollow-Core Fiber Manufacturing
光通信女人
➀ The research on hollow-core fibers is active but not yet widely commercialized due to various reasons, such as incomplete theoretical exploration and immature mass production processes.
➁ Y10T283 employs three segments of hollow-core fibers spliced together for academic research.
➂ This year, Changfly manufactured 15km long continuous hollow-core fibers and discussed the impact on performance in large-scale production.
➃ The wall thickness of the tube for low-loss bands exhibits certain characteristic thicknesses to achieve low-loss design goals.
➄ Thinner wall thickness results in longer resonance wavelength spacing, wider low-loss bands, but also more sensitive pressure differences.
➅ Changfly evaluated the tolerance of the inner and outer diameter ratio and pressure difference based on a balance between manufacturing difficulty and performance.
➆ Changfly selected a low-loss window with a wall thickness of 1.1μm, achieving a minimum loss of 0.25dB/km for 10km hollow-core fibers and about 0.58dB/km for 15km fibers.
➇ The article also discusses the challenges of manufacturing thin glass tubes and their impact on reliability and cost.
- NVIDIA's Blackwell GPU Sold Out for the Next 12 Months!
XinZhiXun
➀ NVIDIA's future 12-month supply of Blackwell GPUs has been sold out.
➁ Analysts predict that NVIDIA will gain a larger AI chip market share next year.
➂ The overwhelming demand suggests that NVIDIA's AI chip market share will further increase next year despite competition.
- GPU Archaeology: The Difference Between the First GPU GeForce 256 and RTX 4090 After 25 Years
微信公众号
➀ Nvidia commemorated the 25th anniversary of the world's first GPU, GeForce 256, with an official post that highlights the incredible development in 3D graphics over the past 25 years.
➁ The article analyzes the changes between GeForce 256 and RTX 4090, both GPU products over a 25-year span, focusing on parameters like architecture, process technology, transistor count, GPU core count, GPU frequency, memory width, memory type, memory size, memory bandwidth, TDP, interface type, release time, and retail price.
➂ The article also discusses how Nvidia has become the absolute leader in the GPU field and the emergence of different GPU series such as GeForce, Quadro, and Tesla.
- Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment Market Share: ASML Leading, Japan's TEL Fourth
Nikkei Asian Review
➀ ASML surpasses AMAT to lead the semiconductor manufacturing equipment market in 2023;
➁ ASML's equipment shipment reached $23.7 billion in 2023, a 48% increase from 2022;
➂ TEL, affected by the downturn in the memory market, saw its shipments decline by 23% to $10.3 billion in 2023;
➃ The global semiconductor manufacturing equipment market is expected to grow by 3% in 2024, reaching $98.3 billion, with a projected increase of 15% to $112.8 billion in 2025;
➄ The US government's export controls on China may limit shipments from US, Dutch, and Japanese manufacturers.
October 12
- Huang Renxun Invests in Li Feifei's Startup
Investment界
➀ Li Feifei's startup World Labs has raised $230 million in funding led by a16z, NEA, and Radical Ventures, with NVIDIA's Huang Renxun among the investors.
➁ The team consists of 24 people, including four co-founders, and is focused on building a large-world model for spatial intelligence.
➂ Li Feifei and Huang Renxun have a history of collaboration, with Huang providing seed funding for AI4ALL and a DGX-1 supercomputer to Li's lab.
- How国产DCU Acceleration Cards Take the Weather Disaster Challenge
Unknown
➀ The increasing frequency of natural disasters due to global climate change is a severe challenge to human survival;
➁ China Meteorological Administration achieves significant results with its forecast capabilities;
➂ Haiguang DCU, as a domestic powerhouse of computing power, is frequently chosen for meteorological projects, improving forecast accuracy and timeliness;
➃ The high requirements of weather prediction for computing chips include timeliness, efficiency, full-precision calculation support, and flexible expansion;
➄ Haiguang DCU's full-precision calculation, powerful computing performance, and ecological adaptability make it an ideal choice for meteorological calculations;
➅ The cost-effectiveness of Haiguang DCU promotes the large-scale application of AI technology in meteorology.
- Tongfu Micro-Electronics: Large Fund Reduces Stake by 3%
Weixin Official Accounts Platform
➀ Tongfu Micro-Electronics announced that the state-owned Large Fund plans to reduce its stake by 3% within three months following the announcement of the reduction plan.
➁ The reduction in the shareholding of the Large Fund has attracted wide attention in the market.
➂ Despite the potential pressure from share reductions, Tongfu Micro-Electronics has shown significant improvement in its performance, with a revenue increase of 11.83% and a net profit increase of 271.91% for the first half of 2024.
- Semiconductor Industry Thrives with Record-Breaking Profits
Weixin Official Accounts Platform
➀多家 semiconductor manufacturers have reported impressive financial data for the third quarter, with Jinhé Integrated and Weiping Semiconductor seeing profits grow over 800% and 500% respectively;
➁Weiping Semiconductor's revenue and gross margin have significantly increased due to the demand for high-end smartphones and autonomous driving products;
➂Rockchip Microelectronics has seen profits grow over 300% thanks to the demand for AIoT products in various markets, including automotive electronics, industry, and consumer electronics.
- Hangzhou Hikvision Responds to Mass Layoffs: Business Strategy Adjustment, Regional R&D Employees Face Lack of Business After the Spring Festival
智东西
➀ Hikvision responds to rumors of mass layoffs, stating that it is a business strategy adjustment rather than a layoff.
➁ The company is restructuring its regional R&D departments, reducing from 32 to 12.
➂ The layoffs do not involve core R&D business, and employees are receiving n+2 compensation.
➃ Hikvision is also adjusting its senior management, aiming for younger leadership.
➄ The company's revenue growth has slowed, and it is facing challenges in the public security industry.
➅ Hikvision is investing in innovative businesses to drive revenue growth.
- The Challenges of Domestic Replacement for AMHS in the Semiconductor Industry
芯智讯
➀ The semiconductor chip manufacturing process is long and complex, requiring numerous equipment and hundreds of processes.
➁ The AMHS system in wafer fabs is critical for the automation of material handling and logistics, but it is currently dominated by Japanese manufacturers.
➂ The domestic replacement of AMHS faces challenges due to lack of experience and technical issues, as illustrated by recent accidents involving domestic cranes.
- Photonic Technology Launches Industry's First Anti-Strong Light Flicker Sensor, Significantly Enhancing Image Quality in High Environmental Light
微信公众号
➀ The competition in the mobile phone industry is intense, and smartphone manufacturers are continuously improving product performance to maintain competitiveness. One of the key points is image quality, which depends on both proprietary algorithms and hardware.
➁ Photonic Technology, with years of research and production experience in the optical field, has launched a high-sensitivity flicker (Flicker) sensor with high sampling rate (16kHz), anti-strong light, and anti-940nm laser pulse: PHLS2602. The sensor maintains good accuracy (-20~85℃) and is suitable for various complex environments and products with high image performance requirements.
➂ The sensor not only represents a breakthrough in photoelectric measurement technology but also sets a new benchmark for the intelligent measurement industry.
October 11
- YiZhu Technology Completes Several Hundred Million Yuan in Financing in 2024
Unknown
➀ YiZhu Technology announced the completion of several hundred million yuan in financing, led by a well-known overseas fund;
➁ The company is focused on innovative architecture to break and reduce 'storage wall', 'energy consumption wall', and 'compilation wall', developing products for data centers, AI cloud computing, and central AI servers;
➂ Since its establishment, YiZhu Technology has received extensive attention from the capital market, including support from major investment institutions.
- Infineon Lays Off 105 Employees!
Unknown
➀ Infineon has announced plans to lay off 1400 employees globally in August, with regional layoffs being announced. The latest official document from the California government shows that over 100 positions are to be cut in Silicon Valley, including Infineon. ➁ The layoffs are mainly from semiconductor giant Infineon and video surveillance cloud provider Hanwha Vision America, affecting the tech industry in San Jose, Santa Clara, and Milpitas. ➃ Infineon Technologies Americas will lay off 105 people in the Bay Area on October 11th, with 104 in San Jose and 1 in Milpitas. - How Nexperia Wins the Third-Generation Semiconductor Market?
芯智讯
➀ Nexperia announced a $200 million investment in Germany to develop next-generation wide bandgap semiconductors; ➁ SiC and GaN semiconductors are driving the next generation of electronic devices due to their high performance; ➂ The demand for SiC is growing exponentially with the global promotion of new energy vehicles; ➃ Nexperia is focusing on SiC MOSFETs for the transition from 400V to 800V battery systems in electric vehicles; ➄ Nexperia offers a comprehensive range of GaN devices for industrial and renewable energy applications; ➅ Nexperia is investing in 8-inch wafer production to capture market opportunities. - SiC's Rival Emerges? The US Makes a Move
半导体行业观察
➀ SiC and GaN, as third-generation semiconductors, have gained popularity due to their wide bandgap; ➁ The U.S. is investing heavily in ultra-wide bandgap (UWBG) semiconductor technology; ➂ DARPA has announced a contract with Raytheon to develop ultra-wide bandgap semiconductors using diamond and aluminum nitride; ➃ Element Six, a synthetic diamond material company, is leading a project under DARPA's UWBGS program to advance semiconductor technology; ➄ The U.S. government is investing in the development of UWBG semiconductors, including projects at North Carolina State University. - Who is Stifling NVIDIA's Growth?
半导体行业观察
➀ The Wall Street is focusing on NVIDIA's Blackwell production increase due to the influx of capital into AI-related investments. Morgan Stanley has released another report on NVIDIA's latest GPU architecture, revealing more information about the exact reasons for the production bottleneck in the summer. ➁ NVIDIA confirmed the rumors about minor defects in the Blackwell design during the recent earnings call, but assured investors that some minor modifications to the photomask can solve the low yield problem caused by it. ➂ Morgan Stanley believes that the low yield problem was only discovered in the encapsulation stage, resulting in the scrapping of不合格 products, leading to losses in CoWoS and HBM3e. These products were already in short supply, which further exacerbated NVIDIA's supply issues. - A New Storage Device Combining the Advantages of DRAM and SRAM
半导体行业观察
➀ The research on hybrid memory combines the density of DRAM with the speed of SRAM, receiving funding from CHIPS and the Science Act. The hybrid gain cell (HGC) memory research is one of the projects of the California-Pacific-Northwest AI Hardware Center, which will receive $16.3 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Defense. ➁ The team at Stanford University is developing an alternative memory design that combines the advantages of SRAM and DRAM. DRAM can store a large amount of data in a relatively small space, but its read speed is relatively slow. SRAM can read data faster, but its units are relatively large. The gain cell memory developed by the Stanford team combines the small space of DRAM and the almost as fast speed of SRAM. ➂ The mixed gain cell storage device overcomes limitations by combining silicon read transistors with indium tin oxide write transistors, achieving a bit retention time of over 5000 seconds and about 50 times faster than similar oxide-oxide gain cells. - Vietnam to Build Six Semiconductor Factories, Hiring 100,000 Workers
Unknown
➀ Vietnam aims to become a major global player in the semiconductor industry by 2050 with a strategic plan involving the construction of six semiconductor fabs and hiring 100,000 workers; ➁ The plan is divided into three phases, focusing on attracting foreign investment, building core capabilities, and expanding the local semiconductor design talent pool; ➂ The first phase (2024-2030) aims to establish 100 design companies, one small semiconductor factory, and ten packaging and testing facilities. - Y10T285 Multi-core Fiber Theoretical Transmission Capacity
微信公众号
➀ Current high-capacity optical communication reaches a single fiber capacity of about 32T in the C+L band. Theoretical research extends to the O, E, S, L, and partial U bands with ultra-wide spectral applications, with some explorations reaching up to 400T. ➁ The total theoretical capacity of a single fiber using all the spectrum is around 580T. ➂ Multi-core fiber-based SDM is considered a feasible technology to further expand single-fiber capacity, and ITU has initiated research on this. ➃ Weakly coupled multi-core fibers with a standard or reduced cladding diameter are the industry trend due to weight and complexity issues. ➄ Inter-core crosstalk is a significant issue in weakly coupled multi-core fibers, reducing effective spectral efficiency. ➅ NICT and Microsoft have collaborated to provide optimal numbers for the number of cores in multi-core fibers, suggesting that 4 cores are the best choice for achieving high spectral efficiency. - CIOE2024: Optical Module Trends
光芯之路
➀ The 800G optical module is expected to start mass production in 2024 and see slow growth in 2027, with 1.6T modules expected to rapidly grow from 2026 with a long duration. ➁ Silicon photonics will continue to grow over the next 5 years and may surpass III-V materials, with LNOI seeing significant growth in 2027. ➂ Google promotes the use of optical switches for TPU supercomputing cluster networking at OFC2024, with optical switch shipments expected to grow continuously over the next 5 years. - AMD Unveils Its Most Powerful Model Chip! Five Core New Products Target AI, Flagship CPU at 100,000 Yuan, Supported by OpenAI, Microsoft, and Meta
芯东西
➀ AMD launches its latest AI chip, server CPU, AI network card, DPU, and AI PC mobile processor; ➁ The flagship AI chip, AMD Instinct MI325X GPU, achieves a peak AI computing power of 21PFLOPS with HBM3E high-bandwidth memory; ➂ The new EPYC server CPU is powered by TSMC's 3/4nm process, with up to 192 cores and 384 threads, and priced at 14813 USD per unit; ➃ AMD EPYC 9575F processor offers up to 2.7 times the performance improvement over its predecessor in SPEC CPU tests; ➄ AMD's third-generation commercial AI mobile processor, Ryzen AI PRO 300 series, is designed for next-generation enterprise AI PC. - Su Zifeng's 2-hour Passionate Speech! Launches AMD's Strongest AI Chip, Flagship CPU at 100,000 per Core, with OpenAI and Microsoft as Supporting Actresses
智东西
➀ AMD unveiled a series of AI products including a new flagship AI chip, server CPU, AI network card, DPU, and AI PC mobile processor; ➁ The flagship AI chip AMD Instinct MI325X GPU uses HBM3E high bandwidth memory, with AI peak computing power reaching 21PFLOPS; ➂ AMD disclosed the latest AI chip roadmap with the MI350 series using CDNA 4 architecture, expected to be launched next year; ➃ AMD launched the world's first AI network card supporting UEC and the Pensando Salina 400 DPU, doubling performance; ➄ The fifth-generation EPYC server CPU supports up to 192 cores and 384 threads, with a top price of 14813 USD per core; ➅ AMD's third-generation commercial AI mobile processor Ryzen AI PRO 300 series is expected to be on the market with more than 1 million units by 2025.
October 10
- Sony Introduces New Automotive CMOS After Seven Years: Pros and Cons
Unknown
➀ Sony announced the release of the ISX038 CMOS image sensor for automotive cameras, with a 1/1.7-inch sensor size and approximately 8.39 million effective pixels. The sensor is the first in the industry to handle and output both RAW and YUV images simultaneously. It features a stack structure with a pixel chip and a logic chip with Sony's SSS ISP, providing high-precision detection and recognition capabilities for the environment outside the vehicle. However, the high price of the product has sparked controversy. ➁ Sony's product is priced at 15,000 yen (about $100), which is at least twice as high as the price of similar products from Chinese manufacturers. ➃ The market for automotive cameras is growing due to the rise of intelligent driving, with China leading in the production and sales of new energy vehicles. Chinese CMOS suppliers are also emerging as a result.