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January 5
- Samsung's封装Challenge: The Rise and Fall of a Giant in Semiconductor Packaging
半导体行业观察
➀ Samsung's ambition to enter the semiconductor foundry market in early 2022 was thwarted by its weaknesses in advanced packaging compared to TSMC.
➁ Samsung has been actively hiring key personnel and investing in advanced packaging technology to catch up with TSMC.
➂ Despite its early advancements in packaging technology, Samsung has struggled to maintain its competitive edge due to lack of investment and market focus.
December 30
- No Significant Price Drop in Chinese Semiconductor Wafer Fab, Industry Denies!
Unknown
➀ Reports of significant discounts in China's wafer fabs are denied by industry sources;
➁ The cost structure makes the rumored discounts highly unlikely;
➂ Analysts predict a minor price drop trend but not a widespread price war in 2025.
December 28
- Photonic Corporation Invests 5 Billion RMB in Establishing Asian Electronic Production Center in Vietnam's Quang Ninh
Unknown
➀ Photonic Corporation, a global top 10 OEM manufacturer, is investing 6.9 billion USD (about 50 billion RMB) in an electronic component and equipment manufacturing project in Vietnam's Quang Ninh Province.
➁ The project, located in the Song Khoai industrial park, is expected to start production in November 2025 with an annual capacity of over 64 million units.
➂ The project is part of a larger trend of manufacturing industry reconfiguration, with Vietnam becoming a key emerging manufacturing base and attracting global manufacturers.
- Bamboo Forest Realizes 2 Billion RMB in Cash-Out, Changxin Technology Valuation Drops to 128.2 Billion Yuan?
芯智讯
➀碧桂园 announced a share transfer agreement with Hefei Jianchang Equity Investment Partnership and Changxin Technology Group, selling approximately 1.56% of Changxin Technology's equity for 2 billion RMB;
➁Changxin Technology is the parent company of Changxin Storage, a leading domestic DRAM chip manufacturer in China;
➂Bamboo Forest participated in Changxin Technology's financing in September 2021 and sold its equity in December 2022, valuing Changxin Technology at approximately 128.2 billion RMB.
- Suggestions for Intel's Wafer Fab
内容来自semiwiki，谢谢。
➀ Intel needs to fill all its fabs to maintain competitiveness in the semiconductor manufacturing field;
➁ TSMC is rapidly expanding its competitive advantage through partnerships with Japan and Europe;
➂ Creating a universal foundry platform alliance would allow other fabs to utilize their manufacturing capabilities, benefiting Intel;
➃ Intel's failed acquisition of Tower Semiconductor due to regulatory hurdles is a missed opportunity;
➄ TSMC's collaboration with Japanese and European companies to build fabs is a strategic move;
➅ Intel needs to transform and consider establishing a universal foundry platform alliance to fill its fabs and packaging facilities.
- Samsung and SK Hynix Diverge on EUV Lithography Technology!
半导体行业观察
➀ Samsung and SK Hynix, two major South Korean semiconductor companies, are taking different strategies in the EUV lithography technology field.
➁ Samsung is focusing on improving yields, while SK Hynix is focusing on long-term technological progress.
➂ Samsung has invested heavily in EUV lithography machines aims to maximize the production efficiency of various materials and components used in EUV lithography equipment.
➃ SK Hynix has dissolved its EUV TF and integrated it into the Future Technology Research Institute, emphasizing long-term technological progress.
- U.S. Chip Efforts: A Boon or a Bust?
icbank
➀ The U.S. CHIPS Act has been in the works for over four years, costing $53 billion, aiming to revitalize the U.S. economy and compete with China.
➁ The U.S. Commerce Secretary recently criticized the Act, suggesting that trying to stop China is foolish and that the only way to win is by innovating and staying ahead.
➂ The Act has led to significant investments, but challenges like cultural differences and financial issues have hindered progress.
- The Growth Path of KLA: Insights into China's Measurement Industry
Unknown
➀ KLA is a dominant player in the front-end measurement equipment industry, providing comprehensive detection, measurement, and data analysis products and services.
➁ KLA's journey includes several key acquisitions that have expanded its business into various sectors of semiconductor equipment.
➂ The Chinese measurement industry is currently fragmented, with many companies focusing on low-end AOI, and the country needs 1-2 strong companies to compete with global leaders like KLA.
December 27
- Northern Huace: Achieving Defect-Free 8-inch SiC Superjunction槽蚀
微信公众号
➀ Northern Huace's team has successfully achieved defect-free superjunction device trench etching with a high aspect ratio (>5:1) on 8-inch SiC substrates and rounded trench etching for SiC MOSFET devices, which has great potential for improving the performance of SiC trench power devices.
➁ The SiC trench etching process of Northern Huace has three main advantages: high aspect ratio SiC trench etching without obvious anomalies such as bending, micro-grooves, and 'V'-shaped profiles; SiC trench size is very consistent with subsequent epitaxy processes; and nitrogen introduction can directly realize rounded SiC trench structure etching without annealing.
➂ The team optimized the plasma etching formula to solve the above problems, including adjusting the gas flow ratio for superjunction devices and introducing nitrogen dilution for gate trench devices.
- Former Star Company Bankruptcy Accelerates Silicon Carbide Market Clearance
微信公众号
➀ Beijing Jidu Jinguang Semiconductor Co., Ltd. has filed for bankruptcy liquidation due to financial difficulties;
➁ The rapid expansion of the silicon carbide market has led to intense competition and overcapacity;
➂ The price of silicon carbide has dropped significantly due to excessive supply and competition in the downstream electric vehicle industry;
➃ The industry is expected to see further consolidation and differentiation as new players enter the market.
December 26
- Samsung Holds Global Emergency Meeting!
Unknown
➀ Samsung recalled overseas general managers from 9 regions including China, North America, and Southeast Asia to discuss emergency business strategies in response to domestic and international uncertainties;
➁ The meeting focused on currency exchange rates, departmental sales strategies, and response plans;
➂ The semiconductor business faced challenges with the appreciation of the Korean won against the US dollar, affecting component prices and overall sales.
December 23
- U.S. Takes Action Against China's Traditional Chip Industry
微信公众号
➀ The Biden-Harris administration is investigating China's production of mature process semiconductors under the 301 trade law, citing national security threats and reducing U.S. dependence on these chips.
➁ The U.S. Trade Representative's office is initiating a 301 investigation to review China's targeting of mature semiconductors as a dominant position and its impact on the U.S. economy.
➂ The U.S. is investing in the entire semiconductor supply chain, including upstream materials like silicon carbide and wafers, with billions of dollars in private sector investments.
- U.S. Takes Action Against China's Traditional Chip Industry
微信公众号
➀ The Biden-Harris administration is investigating China's production of mature process semiconductors under the 301 trade law, citing national security threats and reducing U.S. dependence on these chips.
➁ The U.S. Trade Representative's office is initiating a 301 investigation to review China's targeting of mature semiconductors as a dominant position and its impact on the U.S. economy.
➂ The U.S. is investing in the entire semiconductor supply chain, including upstream materials like silicon carbide and wafers, with billions of dollars in private sector investments.
- Vietnam's Goertek Expands Drone Production Lines, Doubling Capacity to 60,000 Units
Unknown
➀ Goertek Vina plans to expand its drone production lines from 4 to 8 in Binh Duong Province, doubling annual output to 60,000 units;
➁ The expansion includes the introduction of upstream component production to increase Vietnam's manufactured content;
➂ The factory produces two main drone models, Wing/7000 MP3 and Wing 7000 WB, with a focus on high performance and innovation;
➃ The expansion also involves the production of drone accessories like charging equipment and control devices.
- The Legend of Yisiwei: How Wang Dongsheng is Rebuilding a Dynasty
芯流科技评论
➀ Wang Dongsheng, known as the 'Father of China's Semiconductor Display Industry', has embarked on a transformative journey from 'making screens' to 'making chips'.
➁ Yisiwei Materials successfully submitted an IPO application to the Shanghai Stock Exchange with a valuation of 24 billion yuan in 2024.
➂ China's technology industry needs leaders to fight a hard battle from CRT tubes to the world's first LCD panels, from highly dependent on imports to Yisiwei Materials' independent breakthrough.
- The Legend of Yisiwei: How Wang Dongsheng is Rebuilding a Dynasty
芯流科技评论
➀ Wang Dongsheng, known as the 'Father of China's Semiconductor Display Industry', has embarked on a transformative journey from 'making screens' to 'making chips'.
➁ Yisiwei Materials successfully submitted an IPO application to the Shanghai Stock Exchange with a valuation of 24 billion yuan in 2024.
➂ China's technology industry needs leaders to fight a hard battle from CRT tubes to the world's first LCD panels, from highly dependent on imports to Yisiwei Materials' independent breakthrough.
- SunPower Electric Announces 2 Major Milestones: 2 Million Units Off the Production Line and SiC Motor Controller Integration into Geely's New Hybrid Model
微信公众号
➀ SunPower Electric announced the production of the 2 millionth unit, marking a significant milestone in the electric vehicle control and power supply field;
➁ The newly produced hybrid dual-control HEM38 product is based on the mature TPAK parallel power module and is equipped with a SiC step-up module, achieving an efficiency of up to 99.9%;
➂ The SiC motor controller has been successfully integrated into Geely's new hybrid model, the Starship 7 EM-i;
➃ The Starship 7 EM-i is Geely's first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) based on the GEA new energy exclusive architecture;
➄ Several leading car manufacturers such as BYD, Toyota, Hongqi, Chery, and Kia have also introduced hybrid models with SiC-based DHT systems.
December 22
- Another Fund Launched in Anhui for Investment in Smart Chips!
芯榜
➀ Anhui Kexun Artificial Intelligence Venture Capital Fund Partnership (Limited Partnership) was established with a capital of 500 million yuan.
➁ The fund is engaged in private equity investment, investment management, and asset management.
➂ Kedacom, Hefei City Venture Capital Guidance Fund Co., Ltd., and other parties jointly invested in the fund.
➃ This is the eighth subsidiary fund established by Hua'an Jiye, which manages the Anhui Artificial Intelligence Theme Mother Fund, with a subscribed capital of nearly 13.7 billion yuan.
➄ The subsidiary fund focuses on the exploration and commercial application of cutting-edge AI technologies, investing in areas such as smart chips, natural language processing, computer vision, and data analysis.
- Three Forces Driving the Aggressive Development of Silicon Photonics
半导体行业观察
➀ The rapid development of data centers and the demand for faster and more efficient communication networks are driving the adoption of silicon photonics.
➁ Silicon photonic integrated circuits (PICs) combine the advantages of optics with the scalability of integrated circuits, enabling high-speed data transmission.
➂ The market for PICs is expected to grow significantly, driven by high-speed modules and expanding data centers.
➃ Major semiconductor companies, such as Intel and Broadcom, are investing heavily in silicon photonics technology.
➄ Newcomers like Lightmatter, Celestial AI, and Ayar Labs are also making significant contributions to the field.
➅ Semiconductor foundries are playing a crucial role in the production of silicon photonics products.
December 21
- Amkor Technology's 11.5 Billion USD Factory in Vietnam's Bac Ninh Officially Launched, Reducing 70% of Employees with Automation
手机报旭日大数据
➀ Amkor Technology is constructing a $1.6 billion semiconductor packaging and testing factory in Bac Ninh, Vietnam, showing confidence in the market.
➁ The new factory in Bac Ninh will begin operations in October 2024, with an initial capacity of 70% of the designed capacity.
➂ The total investment for the Bac Ninh project is $1.6 billion, with an annual production capacity of 1.2 billion chips upon completion.
➃ The automation of the new factory is expected to reduce the number of employees from the originally planned 10,000 to only 2,800.
➄ The advanced automation technology used in the factory will require skilled technicians for operation and maintenance.
➅ Vietnam's strategic location and government support are driving the growth of the semiconductor industry in the country.
- The Future of China's Semiconductor Industry: Prospects and Challenges
Unknown
➀ The market sentiment towards China's semiconductor industry is pessimistic due to capital withdrawal and layoffs.
➁ Professor suggests that the good news is that the U.S. is blocking China's advanced technology, not mature technology, which presents an opportunity.
➂ The bad news is that China's advanced semiconductor technology is not promising in the short term, with numerous issues and a lack of original innovation.
- Analyst: Taiwan's Mature Process Should Integrate Quickly
Unknown
➀ Taiwan's semiconductor industry is expected to grow by 16%, with TSMC's growth at 25%, driven by Intel orders, advanced process capacity, and AI orders.
➁ Analysts suggest that the U.S. restrictions on China's mature process may not be as effective as expected, and Taiwan's mature process companies should consider integration for economies of scale.
➂ TSMC's revenue growth rate is estimated to reach 25% in 2025, but the biggest variable is U.S. policy.
- Sophgo, a Subsidiary of Bitmain, May Be Added to U.S. Blacklist
Unknown
➀ Sophgo, a subsidiary of Bitmain, is rumored to be added to the U.S. blacklist due to its chips being used in Huawei's AI processors.
➁ Sophgo denies direct business relationships with Huawei, but TSMC has confirmed its chips are used in Huawei's Ascend 910B and has suspended shipments.
➃ The U.S. Commerce Department has imposed sanctions on Sophgo for activities that violate U.S. national security and foreign policy.
- Alternative to SRAM: The New Choice!
Semiconductor Industry Observation
➀ SRAM has been used in high-performance computing architectures as embedded cache for decades, but its bit density expansion has slowed down and is affected by standby power issues.
➁ Spin Orbit Torque (SOT) MRAM offers advantages like low standby power, GHz-level switching speed, negligible leakage, almost infinite endurance, high reliability, and scalability, making it a promising alternative to SRAM.
➂ SOT-MRAM uses magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJ) as its basic building block, where the magnetic orientation can be vertical or in-plane, affecting the read and write operations.
➃ Recent advancements in SOT-MRAM technology, including improvements by imec, have demonstrated high switching speeds and durability, addressing key challenges in cache applications.
➄ Imec has developed innovative solutions for field-free switching, low dynamic power consumption, and scaling SOT-MRAM devices to the limit, making it a milestone for high-density SRAM applications.
➅ Further optimization of performance and reliability parameters, such as retention rate and write error rate, is being explored to bring SOT-MRAM closer to real-world specifications.
➆ Imec has also presented a novel composite free layer for MTJ, which improves the reliability of SOT-MRAM devices and reduces sensitivity to external magnetic disturbances.
- Alternative to SRAM: The New Choice!
Semiconductor Industry Observation
➀ SRAM has been used in high-performance computing architectures as embedded cache for decades, but its bit density expansion has slowed down and is affected by standby power issues.
➁ Spin Orbit Torque (SOT) MRAM offers advantages like low standby power, GHz-level switching speed, negligible leakage, almost infinite endurance, high reliability, and scalability, making it a promising alternative to SRAM.
➂ SOT-MRAM uses magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJ) as its basic building block, where the magnetic orientation can be vertical or in-plane, affecting the read and write operations.
➃ Recent advancements in SOT-MRAM technology, including improvements by imec, have demonstrated high switching speeds and durability, addressing key challenges in cache applications.
➄ Imec has developed innovative solutions for field-free switching, low dynamic power consumption, and scaling SOT-MRAM devices to the limit, making it a milestone for high-density SRAM applications.
➅ Further optimization of performance and reliability parameters, such as retention rate and write error rate, is being explored to bring SOT-MRAM closer to real-world specifications.
➆ Imec has also presented a novel composite free layer for MTJ, which improves the reliability of SOT-MRAM devices and reduces sensitivity to external magnetic disturbances.
December 20
- SK Hynix Receives 3.3 Billion USD Subsidy!
Semiconductor Technology Sky
➀ SK Hynix has been granted a government subsidy of up to 3.3 billion USD by the US Department of Commerce.
➁ The subsidy is intended to help establish an advanced chip packaging factory and AI product development facilities in Indiana.
➂ The factory will also build an assembly line for mass production of next-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips, which will be equipped in graphics processing units (GPUs) for training AI systems.
- 重磅！华虹集团换帅！
半导体技术天地
➀ Shanghai government announced the resignation of Zhang Suixin as the Chairman of Hua Hong Group, to be succeeded by Qin Jian, the Chairman of Shanghai Union Investment Co., Ltd.
➁ Zhang Suixin, during his tenure, was committed to driving technological breakthroughs and industrial upgrades in the integrated circuit manufacturing field, expanding the market share of 8-inch and 12-inch wafer manufacturing, and making significant progress in global layout.
➂ Qin Jian, the successor, has extensive management experience and previously served as the Deputy Chairman of Hua Hong Group.
- 重磅！华虹集团换帅！
半导体技术天地
➀ Shanghai government announced the resignation of Zhang Suixin as the Chairman of Hua Hong Group, to be succeeded by Qin Jian, the Chairman of Shanghai Union Investment Co., Ltd.
➁ Zhang Suixin, during his tenure, was committed to driving technological breakthroughs and industrial upgrades in the integrated circuit manufacturing field, expanding the market share of 8-inch and 12-inch wafer manufacturing, and making significant progress in global layout.
➂ Qin Jian, the successor, has extensive management experience and previously served as the Deputy Chairman of Hua Hong Group.
- Advanced EUV Lithography: Challenges and Innovations in Photoresist and Etching Techniques
微信公众号
➀ The importance of photoresist in semiconductor manufacturing and the necessity for resolution scaling to utilize new architectures and materials.
➁ The discussion on yield challenges, particularly with edge placement error (EPE) and line edge roughness (LER), and the need for improved understanding and tools to mitigate these issues.
➂ The introduction of directed self-assembly (DSA) as a strategy to reduce line/space photoresist correction errors and its application in 18 nm and 21 nm metal pitch.
➃ The need for new photoresists to match node processes at 12 nm pitch and the impact of defect density on EUV chip cost.
➄ The importance of high-throughput experimental methods, chemical analysis of random defects, and 3D length scale detection in process change exploration.
➅ The industry's demand for high quantum yield photoresists, defect formation analysis, and dry development techniques for organic photoresists.
- US Demands Nvidia Investigate How Chips Were Sold to China
Unknown
➀ The US Commerce Department has requested Nvidia to investigate how its chips entered China over the past year.
➁ Nvidia has asked Supermicro Computer and Dell Technologies to inspect Southeast Asian clients, as their server products use Nvidia's AI chips.
➂ Nvidia emphasizes compliance with export restrictions and denounces any illegal sales.
➃ Some individuals are suspected of copying serial numbers from Supermicro's servers and connecting them to other servers they have access to.
➄ China's State Administration for Market Regulation has launched an investigation against Nvidia for suspected violations of the Anti-Monopoly Law.
➅ Nvidia's acquisition of Mellanox, a network interconnect product company, has raised concerns about potential monopolistic practices.
➆ The US government has imposed restrictions on the export of advanced AI chips to China, including Nvidia's A100 and H100.
➇ In response to US restrictions, China has taken countermeasures, including restricting exports of certain materials to the US.