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October 4
- Corning Introduces EXTREME ULE Glass, Supporting High NA EUV Lithography
Weixin Official Accounts Platform
➀ Corning has launched a new ultra-low expansion (ULE) glass material called EXTREME ULE, designed to support High NA EUV lithography for the mass production of advanced microchips. ➁ The material boasts ultra-low thermal expansion, enhancing the performance of EUV masks. ➂ Its exceptional flatness minimizes unnecessary changes in chip manufacturing, allowing for the use of advanced thin films and lithography materials. ➃ EXTREME ULE glass is part of Corning's ULE product line, a titania silicate glass with near-zero expansion properties, traditionally used in EUV masks and lithography mirrors. - Russia Invests $2.54B to Achieve 70% Domestic Semiconductor Equipment and Materials Production by 2030
芯智讯
➀ Russia has allocated over 240 billion rubles ($2.54 billion) to support the development of domestic semiconductor manufacturing equipment, CAD tools, and raw materials. The goal is to achieve domestic substitution for about 70% of foreign semiconductor equipment and materials by 2030. ➁ Over 50 organizations are involved in the implementation of this plan, with 110 projects in total. ➂ The Russian government aims to develop domestic alternatives for about 70% of the equipment and raw materials required for microelectronics production, focusing on technologies from 180nm to 28nm.
October 3
- The Latest Progress of the U.S. Chip Act
半导体行业观察
➀ Over $52 billion in subsidies have been distributed to companies such as Intel, TSMC, Samsung, Micron, GlobalFoundries, and others; ➁ Intel received the largest share, totaling $15.82 billion for its U.S. projects; ➂ TSMC received $6.6 billion for its Arizona factory expansion; ➃ Samsung received $6.4 billion for its Texas factory expansion and advanced technology transfer. - Billion-Dollar Chip Unicorn Lines Up for IPO, Who's Anxious?
Xin Chao IC
➀ Shanghai Siyuang Technology Co., Ltd. (Siyuang Technology) has completed the listing guidance registration with Shanghai Securities Regulatory Bureau and is preparing for an IPO. Siyuang Technology is a super unicorn in the AI chip field, founded by Zhao Lidong, a graduate of Tsinghua University's Radio and Telecommunication Engineering Department 85th class. The company has raised nearly 7 billion yuan in financing, with Tencent being one of the largest investors. According to Hurun Research Institute, Siyuang Technology is valued at 16 billion yuan, ranking 482nd in the Global Unicorn List. ➁ Siyuang Technology has chosen to focus on AI training chips, a field with high difficulty and high barriers. The company has developed a series of AI training and inference chips, providing underlying computing power for Internet companies, cloud service providers, operators, and research institutions. ➃ The domestic AI chip market is facing challenges such as high cost of migration and technical support. Siyuang Technology needs to consider how to commercialize its computing centers. The article discusses the challenges and opportunities for Siyuang Technology and other domestic AI chip companies as they prepare for the IPO. - KKR Considers Acquisition of ASMPT
芯榜+
➀ KKR & Co., a well-known American alternative asset management company, is considering making an acquisition offer for ASMPT Ltd., a Hong Kong-listed semiconductor and electronic equipment manufacturer with a market value of about $5 billion. ASMPT is known for its leading position in the semiconductor manufacturing equipment field. ➁ ASMPT's stock price surged 11.4% after the news of KKR's potential acquisition, reflecting the market's optimism about ASMPT's future development. ➂ ASMPT is a global leading technology and equipment supplier with products widely used in various products such as smartphones, cars, and chips. It has nearly 11,000 employees and operates in more than 30 countries.
October 2
- The Gap Between Domestic AI Chips and NVIDIA: An Insight
Unknown
➀ The advantages of NVIDIA's AI chips are summarized in five points: performance, ease of use, market recognition, versatility, and scalability. ➁ The market share of NVIDIA in China's AI chip market is over 90%, with Huawei being the main competitor. ➂ The performance gap between NVIDIA and domestic AI chips is evident in terms of chip power, memory, memory bandwidth, and interconnect bandwidth. ➃ The domestic AI chip ecosystem lags behind NVIDIA's CUDA ecosystem in maturity and user coverage. ➄ The actual application of domestic AI chips in large-scale clusters is still not mature. - Interview with Kunyu Optoelectronics Lin Tao: Developing Optical Components with Wafer-Level Technology, Building a General Technical Platform for Wafer-Level Optics, and Laying Out Three Product Lines
微信公众号
➀ Kunyu Optoelectronics focuses on the development of wafer-level optics technology, aiming to revolutionize the traditional optical manufacturing process. The company has established a general technical platform for wafer-level optics and is laying out three product lines including micro-nano optics, AR diffraction waveguide, and LiDAR. ➁ Lin Tao, the founder of Kunyu Optoelectronics, has a background in optoelectronics and has worked in various industries before starting his own company. He believes that the optoelectronics industry has a great development prospect due to its relatively new and vast space for growth. ➂ Kunyu Optoelectronics has achieved significant milestones in team building and product innovation, including supplying micro-nano optical components to Huawei and supplying LiDAR core components to NIO. - 2nm, The Great Battle!
Not provided
➀ TSMC has won the FinFET race, with all major advanced logic designs, even Intel's, manufactured on its N5 and N3 processes in Taiwan. Competitors are falling behind. Samsung has performed poorly since 7nm, with low yields, and Intel is still in the early stages of its recovery with Intel 4 and Intel 3 nodes; major customers have not ordered these nodes in large quantities. ➁ The future of TSMC's dominance is uncertain. FinFET cannot be scaled further, and SRAM miniaturization has stalled for several nodes. The industry is at a critical turning point, and leading logic must adopt two new paradigms in the next 2-3 years: gate-all-around (GAA) and backside power delivery (BSPDN). ➂ Intel's failure at the 10nm node and the loss of 3 years of lead were due to many factors, including the failure to adopt EUV and transitioning to cobalt metallization with an immature tool supply chain despite warnings from Applied Materials that their tools were not ready. GAA and BSPDN bring new opportunities to the foundry competition and could even open the door to new entrants in the field such as Rapidus, a 2nm foundry startup supported by the Japanese government. ➃ As capital expenditures for building advanced wafer fabs soar, this could mean that Samsung or Intel may be forced out of the competition. The article delves into these themes, discussing BSPDN technology, the front-end logic roadmaps of all four fabs, the competitiveness of their process technologies, and SRAM scaling, among others. - CIOE2024: Highlights from Gaoyi, CIENA, Kesight, and Hisense
official media/network news
➀ Gaoyi showcased 200G EML and DFB-MZ, with a focus on 6-inch VCSEL development; ➁ CIENA introduced its latest DWDM technology, emphasizing the evolution from 16x2.5G to 1.6T capacity, and the introduction of Tx spectrum shaping technology in 2010; ➂ Kesight presented high-speed testing environments for NVLink, PCIe, and Infiniband, along with coherent optical communication for data center interconnects; ➃ Hisense highlighted its optical chip products, including 50G1342 EML+SOA, 100G Cooled CWDM4 EML, and uncooled 100G/200G EML. - IMEC's Low-Power WDM Micro-Ring Modulator for AI Market
Unknown
➀ The increasing demand for AI in optical modules requires high bandwidth, low power consumption, small size, and high-density packaging. ➁ Micro-ring modulators and multi-wavelength light sources are key technologies for miniaturization and low power consumption. ➂ IMEC's micro-ring modulator receiver has a typical energy consumption of 3.5pj/bit, aiming for <4pj/bit. ➃ Energy consumption of current 800G OSFP optical modules is ~18pj/bit, and using low-power LPO can reduce it to ~8pj/bit. ➄ The future goal is to achieve <1.5pj/bit by optimizing laser technology. ➅ Micro-rings are sensitive to wavelengths and can achieve dense wavelength division multiplexing, meeting AI's needs for small size, multi-channel, high capacity, and low energy consumption. ➆ IMEC's micro-ring modulator has a radius of 2.5μm and can multiplex 27 wavelengths.
October 1
- Huawei Honor Deputy Chairman Wan Biao Resigns!
Xin Zhi Xun (Smart Chip News)
➀ Wan Biao, the Deputy Chairman of Honor, has resigned from his position due to personal reasons; ➁ Wan Biao has a background in Huawei, where he held several senior management roles before joining Honor in 2020; ➂ Honor plans to go public through an IPO, aiming to attract diverse capital and optimize its equity structure; ➃ Wan Biao's departure will not affect the normal operation of the company, and he is rumored to be considering joining Shenzhen Xin Kailai Technology Co., Ltd. - AI Chip Unicorn Files for IPO: Net Loss of 2.1 Billion RMB in Two Years
芯东西
➀ Cerebras Systems, a company specializing in AI training and inference chips, has filed for an IPO on the NASDAQ with the ticker symbol 'CBRS'. It is known for its wafer-scale engine (WSE) chips, the largest in the world.➁ The company reported a net loss of 3 billion USD (about 21 billion RMB) from 2022 to 2023, but its revenue increased nearly 1500% to 1.364 billion USD in the first half of 2024.➂ Cerebras' chips have four technical advantages for AI: large-scale, tightly coupled computing; fast and efficient interconnection; ultra-large on-chip memory and memory bandwidth; and local hardware acceleration for sparsity. - 95Bn Funding Marks the Birth of Hefei's Latest Chip Unicorn
芯东西
➀ Wanhua Integrated Circuit, a subsidiary of Jinhua Integrated Circuit, has successfully raised 9.5 billion yuan in funding, becoming a new unicorn in Hefei. The company focuses on display driver chips and other semiconductor products. Jinhua Integrated Circuit, the parent company, will remain the largest shareholder after the financing. ➁ The investment round is led by Agricultural Bank of China Investment and Industrial Bank of China Investment, with a total investment of 5.4 billion yuan. ➃ Hefei's success in attracting investment and fostering an industry cluster is a result of its 'Hefei Model', which involves investing in key industry leaders to attract more companies and create a complete industrial ecosystem. - Wuhan Xin芯 IPO Approaching!
微信公众号
➀ Wuhan Xin芯, a leading semiconductor wafer foundry in China, focuses on specialty storage, analog-mixed signal, and 3D integration. It provides wafer foundry services for various semiconductor products based on multiple technology nodes and different process platforms. The company supports its specialty storage business with 3D integration technology and continuously innovates its technology. It aims to become a leader in advanced semiconductor manufacturing for the 3D era. ➁ The company plans to raise 4.8 billion yuan through its IPO, which will be used for a 12-inch integrated circuit manufacturing line project and a special technology iteration and research and development support project. ➂ Wuhan Xin芯 is the largest NOR Flash manufacturer in mainland China, with leading technology in analog-mixed signal and 3D integration. - Leading the Era of Inter-chip Optical Interconnect, Jiu Feng Mountain Laboratory Achieves Heterogeneous Integration 'Chip Light Output'
微信公众号
➀ Jiu Feng Mountain Laboratory achieves a breakthrough in the field of silicon photonics integration by successfully lighting up a laser source integrated into a silicon-based chip, the first of its kind in China. This achievement uses a self-developed heterogeneous integration technology and completes the process of phosphorus indium laser diode integration within an 8-inch SOI wafer. This technology, known as 'chip light output,' replaces electrical signals with better-performing optical signals for transmission, which is a crucial means to revolutionize inter-chip signal data transmission. It aims to solve the issue of electrical signals approaching their physical limits. This breakthrough will have a revolutionary impact on data centers, computing centers, CPU/GPU chips, AI chips, and other fields. ➁ The technology is considered an ideal solution for breaking through the bottlenecks of power consumption, bandwidth, and delay in the post-Moore era. The key challenge lies in the development and integration of silicon-based chip-on-chip light sources. This technology is one of the few blank spots in China's optoelectronics field. ➂ The technology can effectively solve the problems of insufficient coupling efficiency, long alignment adjustment time, and insufficient alignment accuracy in traditional silicon photonics chips, breaking through the production bottleneck of high cost, large size, and difficulty in large-scale integration. - SoC Development: A Comprehensive Overview
半导体行业观察
➀ The evolution of SoC technology from military applications to widespread use in various industries; ➁ The integration of multiple functions into a single chip, enhancing portability, power efficiency, and performance; ➂ The importance of miniaturization, wearable technology, and autonomous systems in SoC design; ➃ The role of SoC in enabling edge computing, AI integration, and advanced security features; ➄ The future of SoC with advancements in nanotechnology and breakthroughs like quantum components; ➅ Challenges in SoC design such as complexity, power management, and security; ➆ The impact of EUV technology on semiconductor manufacturing and the use of carbon nanotubes. - Hisense Releases TV AI Chip
芯榜+
➀ Hisense has launched the AI chip for its E7N series TVs, named Xinxin AI Image Quality Chip Pro; ➁ The chip features AI image optimization to enhance clarity and image quality; ➂ It integrates the Xinghai large model for real-time scene recognition and image optimization; ➃ The full chain AI technology is applied from the chip to interaction; ➄ Technological collaboration with other technologies provides an excellent experience.
September 30
- Optical Chips: Too Early or on the Verge of an Explosion?
Unknown
➀ The article discusses the evolving role of optical chips in data communication, highlighting the shift from long-distance fiber optics to short-distance interconnects within data centers. ➁ It analyzes the changing demands of data centers, such as reducing power consumption and cost, and the introduction of new technologies like CPO (Co-Package Optics) to meet these demands. ➂ The article explores Intel's approach to optical interconnects, including the use of chiplets and the challenges of integrating electronics and optics on a single silicon wafer. ➃ It also touches on the history of Intel's Knights Hill project and its cancellation, and the current state of optical computing, including the development of optical processors and quantum computers. - Taiwan's Powerchip Abandons Japan Plant for India Shift
Nikkei Asian Review
➀ Powerchip abandoned its plan to build a semiconductor factory in Japan; ➁ The company will provide technology to Tata Group's semiconductor factory in India; ➂ Powerchip's performance deterioration led to the cancellation of the Japan project; ➃ SBI will continue to seek new partners for the Miyagi factory; ➄ The new factory in India will use 300mm wafers to produce mature generation semiconductors for power management and display. - CIOE2024：EO polymer调制器
微信公众号
➀ LIGHTWAVELOGIC focuses on 1.6T PIC chips based on EO polymer modulators, addressing issues of LNOI incompatibility with traditional CMOS processes and bandwidth density limitations in silicon photonics. The EO polymer technology is expected to be compatible with silicon photonics factories while maintaining excellent bandwidth performance. ➁ Polymer modulators based on hetero-integration technology feature low drive voltage (Vpi<1V), low power consumption, and high density, along with very high bandwidth (70-100GHz) and ease of manufacturing on silicon wafers. ➂ The EO bandwidth of 86GHz allows for a single wave 200GHz eye diagram with drive voltage less than 1V, suitable for 4*200G 800G optical modules. This bandwidth is also suitable for single wave 400G applications and can be used for 4*400G 1.6T optical modules. ➃ Device long-term reliability is demonstrated with Vpi stability after 6000 hours, with less than 1.2% change. Device long-term light stability is not an issue when protected by O2.
September 29
- JCET Officially Enters the Storage Industry!
Semiconductor Technology Sky
➀ JCET has officially entered the storage industry by acquiring Shengdie Semiconductor; ➁ The acquisition will expand JCET' market share in the storage and computing electronics fields; ➂ Shengdie Semiconductor specializes in advanced flash memory storage product packaging and testing, with products used in various industries; ➃ JCET is one of the world's top three packaging and testing companies with a range of packaging technologies. - Exposing OpenAI's $7 Trillion Factory Plan: TSMC Execs Think It's Absurd, Japanese Officials Laughed!
芯智讯
➀ OpenAI CEO Sam Altman proposed a bold plan to raise $7 trillion to build 36 semiconductor factories and data centers globally; ➁ TSMC executives considered the plan absurd, calling Altman 'podcasting bro'; ➂ Japanese officials laughed at the plan during a meeting with Altman. - The Special Status of Wuxi in the Integrated Circuit Industry
奔流财经社
➀ Wuxi is known as the 'Huang埔 Military Academy' of China's integrated circuit industry, with a significant influence and nurturing power in the field. It has produced a large number of talents for the Chinese semiconductor industry. ➁ Wuxi's 742 Factory played a crucial role in China's integrated circuit development, introducing advanced technology from Japan and becoming a 'King of Chips'. ➂ The construction of Wuxi Microelectronics Engineering marked a turning point in China's microelectronics industry, demonstrating the city's dedication and ingenuity. ➃ Wuxi has established a complete industry chain with over 400 integrated circuit enterprises, making it one of the cities with the most complete integrated circuit industry chain in China. - Tata Electronics iPhone Paint Shop Fire, Metalworking Parts Factory Shut Down
Unknown
➀ A fire occurred in Tata Electronics' iPhone paint shop in Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu, India, causing two employees to seek medical attention. The fire has been extinguished, and an investigation is underway. ➁ The incident occurred in a plant specializing in producing iPhone frames and metal parts. ➂ Tata Electronics is working with Apple to expand production capacity in India, aiming for 30% of iPhone production by 2025. ➃ The fire has raised concerns about the safety of manufacturing processes in the electronics industry. - National Internet Team Invests in Shanghai - High-End GPU Company!
微信公众号
➀ The Chinese Internet Investment Fund has invested in瀚博半导体，a high-tech semiconductor company specializing in high-end GPU chips and full-stack solutions; ➁ The investment signifies a new phase for瀚博半导体 in technology development, market expansion, and industrial upgrading; ➂ 钱军，the founder of瀚博半导体, brings over 25 years of experience in high-end chip design and has held positions in companies like LSI Logic, Cisco, and AMD. - 停产！Electronic Giant's Factory Burns, iPhone Parts Production Limited
微信公众号
➀ A major factory producing iPhone parts for Tata Electronics in southern India has caught fire, with at least 10 people receiving medical treatment, including 2 hospitalizations; ➁ The fire occurred in a factory in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, which produces some iPhone components and is expected to manufacture complete iPhones in the coming months; ➂ The fire was contained to a single building and extinguished, but the factory's production recovery timeline is uncertain due to chemical hazards; ➃ The fire is believed to have originated from a storage area for chemicals, affecting the iPhone supply chain and the company's diversification strategy. - TSMC Executives Mock OpenAI's Chipmaking Plans: Too Absurd
微信公众号
➀ OpenAI CEO Sam Altman proposes a $7 trillion plan to build 36 semiconductor factories and data centers; ➁ TSMC executives call the plan 'absurd' and nickname Altman 'podcasting bro'; ➂ OpenAI is exploring a $1 trillion scale investment; ➃ Altman seeks to establish data centers in the US to please the government; ➄ OpenAI is in talks to negotiate $65 billion in financing to support its operations. - The Challenge of Chip Wiring with the Arrival of 2nm Technology
SSDFans
➀ Advanced logic chips have up to 20 metal layers to support two types of lines; ➁ The move of power lines to the back of the wafer is expected to reduce complexity and increase space for transistors; ➂ The challenges of wiring on the front side of the wafer need to be addressed to extend transistors to 2nm and below; ➃ The progression in graphic technology allows for smaller transistor characteristics but also requires smaller wiring, leading to increased resistance and signal delay; ➄ Innovations in materials and material engineering are crucial to overcome the challenges of miniaturization and extend the life of copper wiring; ➅ The industry is seeking innovative products to extend copper to 2nm and beyond. - CIOE2024：TFLN
微信公众号
➀ Yuanxin's core products include tunable laser diodes with 13 dBm output power and 50 nm tuning range, and LNOI modulators with 3 cm device length and 40 GHz RF bandwidth.➁ Wuhan Anpai Optoelectronics offers LNOI MZM modulators with 100 GHz EO bandwidth and Y-waveguide modulators for chip integration and miniaturization.➂ Neo Optoelectronics presents single-wavelength 400Gbps modulators with bandwidths exceeding 110GHz and 1.6T/800G DPIQM modulators with 70GHz bandwidth and 25dB extinction ratio.➃ Suzhou Yilaiwei develops silicon photonics chips with D2W bonding technology and achieves 70GHz electrical-optical modulation bandwidth.➄ Guoguang Optoelectronics successfully打通8-inch low-loss SIN platform and develops TFLN/SIN heterojunction technology for 800G/1.6T data center applications. - A Revolutionary RISC-V Chip
Unknown
➀ A non-silicon flexible and programmable chip has been developed by scientists. It features a low-power 32-bit microprocessor that can operate when bent and run machine learning workloads. The open-source RISC-V architecture of the chip suggests it could cost less than a dollar, making it suitable for wearable medical electronics, smart packaging labels, and other inexpensive items. ➁ The chip, named Flex-RV, is a 32-bit microprocessor based on indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) and is designed to be much cheaper than silicon processors. ➂ RISC-V, introduced in 2010, aims to create smaller, lower-power, and more powerful processors by simplifying the core instruction set they can execute. It is free and open-source, allowing chip designers to avoid expensive licensing fees associated with proprietary architectures like x86 and ARM.