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February 19
- CoWoS Under Pressure as FOPLP Emerges
半导体行业观察
➀ The rise of CoWoS has brought significant revenue to TSMC, threatening leading packaging factories like ASE and Amkor.
➁ TSMC's Q1 earnings forecast indicates an increase in advanced packaging, dispelling concerns about decreasing CoWoS demand.
➂ TSMC plans to increase CoWoS capacity to meet customer demand, with expected revenue contribution growing from 8% in 2024 to 10% in 2025.
➃ FOPLP, a new packaging technology, offers higher I/O density, better electrical performance, and larger packaging sizes, challenging the dominance of CoWoS.
➄ FOPLP's market is expected to grow significantly, with a projected CAGR of 32.5% over the next five years.
➅ Major players like TSMC, Samsung, and AU Optronics are actively involved in FOPLP development.
➆ Challenges for FOPLP include achieving high yields and establishing standards.
- Intel Insider: Giving Wafer Fab Control to TSMC Would Be a Terrible Mistake!
XinZhiXun
➀ An Intel insider, Joseph Bonetti, disputes recent rumors about Intel's struggles and its potential partnership with TSMC, arguing that Intel is making significant progress in semiconductor manufacturing.
➁ Bonetti highlights Intel's 3nm and 2nm process technologies, noting that Intel 3 is already in production and the next-generation Intel 18A is nearing completion.
➂ He emphasizes Intel's lead in High-NA EUV lithography, which is crucial for 1nm-level advanced processes.
➃ Despite financial difficulties, Bonetti believes Intel Foundry will prove itself with its products and attract major customers like Microsoft and Amazon.
➄ He warns against giving TSMC control over Intel's wafer fabs, emphasizing the potential damage to Intel and the US leadership position.
- Expert in Chips Returns to China: Once Involved in Developing 3 Apple M-Series Chips
澎湃新闻
➀ Dr. Wang Huanyu, a professor at Huazhong University of Science and Technology, has returned to China to join the School of Integrated Circuits as a professor and Ph.D. supervisor after working at Apple Inc. in the United States.
➁ Wang obtained his bachelor's degree from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in 2014, his master's degree from Northwestern University in the United States in 2015, and his Ph.D. from the University of Florida in 2021.
➂ Wang's research focuses on hardware security design of integrated circuits and EDA automation. He has worked and interned at companies such as Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Qualcomm, and Synopsys in the United States.
February 18
- Will DeepSeek Impact Wafer Demand?
Semiconductor Industry Vertical (ICVIEWS)
➀ The impact of generative AI will lead to a sharp increase in DRAM wafer demand.
➁ DeepSeek, a Chinese AI startup, has released a large-scale language model (LLM) called DeepSeek-R1, which is comparable to OpenAI's GPT-4.
➂ DeepSeek's R1 was developed in just two months at a cost of 5.6 million US dollars, a fraction of what other companies spend.
➃ The rise of smartphones is an example of disruptive innovation, replacing PCs in the market.
➄ The growth of AI servers, especially those with AI semiconductors, is expected to drive the demand for advanced node logic and DRAM wafers.
➅ The demand for DRAM wafers is expected to soar as generative AI becomes more prevalent.
➆ The global wafer demand is projected to increase significantly due to various factors, including government subsidies and the rise of AI.
- Domestic Semiconductor Companies: New Trends
半导体行业观察
➀ The domestic semiconductor industry, particularly analog chips and MCUs, is experiencing rapid development and a trend towards mergers and acquisitions.
➁ Companies like Gigadevice and South芯 Technology are acquiring smaller firms to expand their product lines and enhance their technological capabilities.
➂ The integration of MCU and analog chips is becoming a major trend, with companies like Naxin Micro and Xinyuan Microcontroller Semiconductor collaborating to offer comprehensive solutions.
February 17
- Jonah Alben: The Key Figure Behind Nvidia's Success in China's Chip Design
芯东西
➀ Jonah Alben, Nvidia's GPU Senior Vice President, is a key figure in Nvidia's success in the Chinese AI computing market.
➁ Alben was appointed by Huang Renxun to maintain local business after the U.S. government began to limit Nvidia's exports to China.
➂ Alben's approach involved lowering the performance of Nvidia's top products to meet compliance requirements.
- Over 500 Million Yuan in Investment: Two GaN Projects Accelerate Progress
行家说三代半
➀ Two GaN projects in China and India have made significant progress;
➁ Bo Wei Integrated's GaN project is expected to be completed by the end of 2025, with an investment of approximately 2.5 billion yuan;
➂ The project is mainly for GaN microwave circuit research, development, and sales, applying to high-tech fields such as 5G communication;
➃ India's government has allocated 33.4 billion rupees for GaN technology research, and the first GaN power transistor has been developed by a multidisciplinary faculty group at the Indian Institute of Technology.
- Nanjingwei Focuses on SoC, Making Another Move
Semiconductor Industry Observation
➀ Nanjingwei's revenue from signal chain products accounted for more than half of its total revenue in the first half of 2024, reflecting the company's focus on this product line.
➁ Nanjingwei has launched the NovoGenius series SoC, aiming to become an international analog chip giant.
➂ The NSUC1610 SoC is designed for automotive applications such as electronic water valves and electronic expansion valves, providing an integrated solution for motor control.
- Eindhoven: VCSEL and DML Innovations in Data Transmission
微信公众号
➀ The exponential growth of data traffic in cloud computing, high-definition video streaming, 5G connectivity, and AI computing requires innovative solutions to handle increasing data volumes with low latency and high reliability.
➁ VCSEL transceivers based on MMF are favored for short-distance transmission due to their low cost and power consumption. However, MMF dispersion limits data rates over 100G.
➂ Eindhoven has achieved 56 Gbps transmission over 500m MMF using 980 nm VCSELs, optimizing modal bandwidth to 14.2 GHz·km.
➃ The research also focuses on wafer-scale heterogeneous integration for high-speed interconnects, improving thermal management for laser diodes.
➄ InP membrane DMLs with PPR characteristics show potential for short-range communication systems, offering small footprint, high energy efficiency, and high modulation bandwidth.
➅ The analysis of laser performance reveals the importance of phase optimization for achieving smooth response and expanded bandwidth.
February 16
- The Father of China's Chip Etching Machine: Forever 38 Years Old!
华商韬略
➀ Yu Zhiyao, the founder of Micro-Epsilon, has made it his mission to break through the bottleneck in China's semiconductor industry.
➁ His company, Micro-Epsilon, has become the fourth-largest etching machine company in the world, fully capable of supporting China's needs in this field.
➂ With the industry's first dual-machine etching equipment technology, Micro-Epsilon has set the concept of 'picometer' processing accuracy and achieved etching precision below 100 picometers.
- TSMC's Annual Dividend Reaches 31.2 Billion New Taiwan Dollars, Average Employee Exceeds 440,000 RMB!
集谁说
➀ TSMC's board approved the 2024 employee performance bonus and salary (dividend) totaling 140.59 billion New Taiwan Dollars (about 31.2 billion RMB);
➁ TSMC's 2024 annual revenue is about 2.894 trillion New Taiwan Dollars, with a year-on-year increase of 33.9%, and a net profit after tax of 1.1732 trillion New Taiwan Dollars;
➂ TSMC provides services to most leading chip developers, including Apple, Qualcomm, and MediaTek.
- Semiconductor Industry: The Great Shift
半导体行业观察
➀ TSMC faces challenges due to Trump's tariffs and the potential for additional taxes from the US government.
➁ The Taiwanese semiconductor industry is under pressure to establish more fabs in the US.
➂ Taiwanese fabs like TSMC and United Microelectronics Corporation are struggling with the dual pressures of US tariffs and competition from Chinese mainland fabs.
➃ Taiwanese fabless companies like MediaTek are adapting to geopolitical risks and exploring new markets.
➄ South Korea's semiconductor industry is facing challenges from Chinese competitors and US tariffs.
➅ Both Taiwan and South Korea are seeking a balance between technological innovation and supply chain security.
- Broadcom and TSMC Consider Splitting Intel: A Groundbreaking Potential Deal
微信公众号
➀ Broadcom and TSMC are considering a deal with Intel to split the company, with Broadcom interested in Intel's chip design business and TSMC focusing on Intel's factories.
➁ Broadcom has been closely monitoring Intel's chip design and marketing business and has held informal discussions with advisors, but this could only happen if a partner is found for Intel's manufacturing business.
➂ The potential transactions, which were unimaginable before Intel's recent troubles, could result in the disintegration of Intel.
- High-Tech Warning: Qualcomm in Jeopardy!
Unknown
➀ Qualcomm is facing multiple competitive pressures from MediaTek's rising share and NVIDIA's entry in the smartphone chip market.
➁ In the server CPU market, Arm's cross-industry competition is squeezing Qualcomm's market share.
➂ In the automotive cabin chip field, MediaTek and Intel's strong performance pose a threat to Qualcomm.
➃ TSMC's advanced manufacturing process technology supports chip design companies and challenges Qualcomm.
➄ Qualcomm's CFO expects the overall market to remain flat or grow in single digits by 2025.
➅ Qualcomm's CEO emphasizes the commitment to reaching a non-smartphone business revenue target of $22 billion by fiscal year 2029.
February 15
- Ideal Car's Silicon Carbide Module and Electric Drive Project Launched with Over 1.2 Billion Yuan Investment
微信公众号
➀ Ideal Car announced the completion of its self-developed silicon carbide power chips and the mass production of self-developed and self-produced silicon carbide power modules and the new generation electric drive units at their Suzhou semiconductor and Changzhou electric production bases.
➁ These three core technologies will be gradually integrated into Ideal Car's pure electric models, with the first pure electric MPV model MEGA launching in 2024, equipped with Ideal's self-developed SiC module and 800V high-voltage platform.
➂ Ideal Car aims to achieve a total sales volume of 700,000 vehicles in 2025, a 40% increase from 2024, with a significant portion of the increase expected to come from pure electric models.
- Infineon's 200mm SiC Milestone
Unknown
➀ The majority of SiC devices are currently produced on 150mm wafers, with larger wafers posing significant challenges.
➁ Infineon has made significant progress in its 200mm SiC roadmap, releasing the first products based on advanced 200mm SiC technology in the first quarter of 2025.
➂ These products manufactured in Austria, provide top-tier SiC power technology for high-voltage applications such as renewable energy, trains, and electric vehicles.
- Flash Memory Breaks Through 400-Layer Barrier
icbank
➀ Samsung Electronics is releasing a 1Tbit 3D NAND flash memory with storage cell layers up to 400+ layers, achieving a memory density of 28.2Gbit/mm2 using TLC method.
➁ Kioxia and Western Digital's joint development team is reporting a 1Tbit 3D NAND flash memory with 332 layers, with a memory density of up to 29Gbit/mm2.
➂ SK Hynix has developed a 2Tbit 3D NAND flash memory with 321 layers, using QLC method multi-value storage.
➃ Samsung is currently developing the 9th generation 3D NAND with 286 layers and is working on 400-layer technology.
➄ SK Hynix is exploring the potential of manufacturing 3D NAND at ultra-low temperatures, aiming to produce new generation products with over 400 layers by 2025.➅ Kioxia plans to mass-produce 3D NAND storage devices with over 1,000 layers by 2031.
➆ The journey towards 1,000-layer 3D NAND involves multiple improvements in manufacturing processes, including vertical, horizontal, and logical aspects.
- Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Considers Acquiring Majority Stake in Intel's Factory
icbank
➀ Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is considering acquiring a majority stake in Intel's factories, following a request from the Trump administration to promote US manufacturing and maintain technological leadership.
➁ The negotiation is in the early stages, and the specific structure of potential collaboration has not been determined yet.
➂ The arrangement may involve allowing major US chip design companies to invest and securing support from the US government.
- Jim Keller's Journey: From DEC to Apple, AMD, Tesla, and Now Tenstorrent AI
半导体行业观察
➀ Jim Keller discusses his early work at DEC and AMD, focusing on the K8 architecture and his contributions to x86-64 and HyperTransport.
➁ Keller's experience at startup SiByte, including the development of network processors and his involvement with Andy Bechtolsheim and Cisco.
➂ His transition to Broadcom and the challenges of working in a larger company like Intel, where he learned about methodology and abstraction layers in computer design.
➃ Keller's time at P.A. Semi and his role in designing PowerPC processors, leading to the acquisition by Apple.
➄ His journey at Apple, from the first iPhone chip to the A-series processors, and the focus on performance and power efficiency.
➅ His return to AMD and the development of the Zen architecture, addressing the company's challenges and working with Global Foundries and TSMC.
➆ His move to Tesla and the development of the Hardware 3 chip for autonomous driving, followed by his transition to Intel and the challenges of managing a large engineering team.
➇ His current role at Tenstorrent AI, focusing on AI processors and software, and the company's mission to build a general-purpose computing platform.
- Siemens Partners with Alphawave to Accelerate Customer Time-to-Market with Advanced Semiconductor IP
芯智讯
➀ Siemens Digital Industries Software announces an exclusive OEM agreement with Alphaw Semi to market its high-speed interconnect silicon IP product portfolio through its sales channels.
➁ The agreement includes Alphawave Semi's leading IP platform for connectivity and memory protocols such as Ethernet, PCIe, CXL, HBM, and UCIeDie-to-Die).
➂ The collaboration will provide comprehensive Spec to Silicon Solutions by leveraging the combined capabilities and strengths of both companies.
- January DRAM Prices Continue to Fall, Hit Largest Decline in Nearly 2 Years
芯智讯
➀ Due to weak demand for PC, smartphones, and other terminal products, as well as Chinese buyers expanding the use of domestic DRAM, global DRAM demand has slowed down, and the DRAM price in January 2023 fell by 6% month-on-month.
➁ The wholesale price of DDR4 8Gb products in January 2025 was about $1.75 per unit, and the price of smaller capacity 4Gb products was about $1.34 per unit, both down 6% from the previous month, marking the fifth consecutive month of decline. The 8Gb products saw the largest decline in 10 months (since March 2023), and the 4Gb products saw the largest decline in 9 months (since April 2023).
➂ DRAM demand is about 50% from PCs and servers, and about 35% from smartphones. The top three DRAM manufacturers in the world are Samsung of South Korea, SK Hynix, and Micron of the United States, followed by Nanya Technology and Winbond Electronics of Taiwan. In these companies' revenue, the market share in China is estimated to be 20-40%. However, with the continuous rise of Chinese domestic DRAM chip manufacturer Changxin Storage, Chinese manufacturers are increasingly adopting domestic DRAM.
- Hua Hong Semiconductor Reports Net Profit of $58.14 Million in 2024, Down 79.25% Year-on-Year
芯智讯
➀ Hua Hong Semiconductor reported its unaudited fourth quarter 2024 financial results, with sales revenue of $539.2 million, up 18.4% year-on-year and 2.4% sequentially;
➁ The company's gross margin for the quarter was 11.4%, up 7.4 percentage points year-on-year;
➂ Net profit after parent company was a loss of $25.2 million, compared to a profit of $35.4 million and $44.8 million in the same period last year and the previous quarter, respectively;
➃ The loss in the fourth quarter was mainly due to foreign exchange losses, while the same period last year and the previous quarter were foreign exchange gains;
➄ Revenue from the Chinese region increased by 23% year-on-year, accounting for 83.7% of total revenue;
➅ The consumer electronics sector continued to be the largest terminal business segment, contributing $344.6 million in sales revenue, accounting for 63.9% of the total.
- Trump Proposes Changes to Chip Bill Subsidy Terms, Postponing Payments or Renegotiating
XinZhiXun (Smart News)
➀ The Trump administration is seeking to renegotiate the US Chip and Science Act's subsidy policy and hints at delaying the upcoming subsidy payments.
➁ The review of these projects by the Trump administration is planned to evaluate and change some transactions after the requirements are evaluated.
➂ Concerns about the Chip Bill's 39 billion USD subsidy include requirements such as using union labor to build factories and assisting with affordable childcare for factory workers.
- Application Materials Halts Maintenance Services for Some Chinese Customers, Anticipating $400 Million Loss!
Unknown
➀ Application Materials reported better-than-expected financial results for the first quarter of fiscal 2025, with revenue of $7.17 billion, up 7% year-over-year;
➁ The company anticipates a $4 billion revenue loss in fiscal 2025 due to new U.S. export control policies;
➂ Application Materials had to stop providing maintenance services for some Chinese customers' equipment, leading to a significant revenue loss in the second quarter.
- The Battle for Tech Supremacy: Global Supply Chain Evolution and the Future of Robotics
Join Colossus
➀ The global supply chain is complex, with the iPhone as a typical example, involving components from 40 different countries.
➁ The economic value of a product like the iPhone is not solely attributed to China, despite its assembly in the country.
➂ The political and economic pressures in the US have led to a shift in public opinion against offshoring manufacturing.
➃ China is making significant strides in robotics, with companies like Unitree leading the charge.
➄ The potential of biotechnology in areas like life extension and gene editing is discussed.
➅ Marc Henrich discusses the importance of understanding cultural differences in the context of global politics.
February 14
- Domestic Advanced Bonding Equipment Emerges as a Dark Horse
半导体行业观察
➀ Advanced bonding equipment is a core part of the global semiconductor industry, with its technological level and market share directly affecting a country's competitiveness in the semiconductor field.
➁ For a long time, this market has been monopolized by international giants like Austria's EVG, leading to high equipment procurement costs and risks of technical blockade and supply chain disruption for domestic semiconductor companies.
➂ With the intensification of global semiconductor industry competition, the independent research and development and domestic substitution of advanced bonding equipment have become an urgent strategic need. In this context, domestic companies like Qinghe Jingyuan are increasing their R&D investment to achieve technological breakthroughs and shoulder the responsibility of domestic substitution.
- TSMC's 2nm Density Higher, But Intel 18A Performance Stronger?
芯智讯
➀ TechInsights and SemiWiki revealed key details about Intel's 18A (1.8nm) and TSMC's N2 (2nm) process technologies at the International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM).
➁ Intel 18A offers higher performance, while TSMC N2 may provide higher transistor density.
➂ TSMC N2 can reduce power consumption by 24% to 35% compared to the previous generation, while Intel 18A has the highest performance among 2nm process technologies.
➃ TSMC's N2 has a higher density of high-density logic unit transistors, with a density of 313 MTx/mm2, followed by Intel with 238 MTx/mm2 and Samsung with 231 Mtx/mm2.
➄ TSMC's N2 is expected to have an average yield rate of >80% for 256Mb SRAM arrays, with a peak yield rate of >90%.
➅ Intel 18A is scheduled to enter mass production in mid-2025, while TSMC's N2 is planned for late 2025.
- Arm Announces Its Entry into Server CPU Market, Competing with Qualcomm and NVIDIA
Xin Xishi
➀ Arm, the UK-based semiconductor IP giant under Softbank Group, is planning to shift its business focus from IP supplier to chip development, with its first internally developed chip set to be launched this summer Meta, an American tech giant, will be one of its first customers.
➁ Arm is rumored to be competing with its major customers, Qualcomm and NVIDIA. Arm is developing a data center server CPU that can be customized for clients like Meta, with production outsourced to manufacturers like TSMC.
➃ Arm has already started to compete with Qualcomm for orders. Qualcomm had negotiated with Meta to provide a data center CPU based on the Arm architecture, but Arm has won at least some of the business.
- Analog Devices Q4 Revenue Down 14.6% Year-Over-Year, Focuses on Streamlining Operations in 2025
Unknown
➀ Analog Devices reported revenue of $1.7225 billion for the fourth quarter of 2024, a 14.6% decrease from the same period last year;
➁ The revenue decline can be attributed to sustained market downturn and decreased demand in major business segments;
➂ For the full year of 2024, Analog Devices' revenue decreased to $7.0823 billion, a 14.2% decrease from 2023;
➃ CEO Hassane El-Khoury stated that the company is well-prepared to 'cope with long-term fluctuations' and will streamline operations in 2025.
- China's Largest Chip IPO Accelerates in 2025!
微信公众号
➀ Zhiyuan Xunrui, as a leading global chip enterprise, achieved remarkable sales of 14.5 billion yuan in 2024, delivering 1.6 billion chips and holding a 13% global market share in mobile chips.
➁ The company has completed a 6 billion yuan equity financing over a year, with an additional 2 billion yuan from Yuanhe Puhua.
➂ The financing will boost the company's growth and position it as a potential candidate for China's largest chip IPO.