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December 5
- CXL 3.2 Officially Released
➀ The CXL 3.2 specification has been officially released by the CXL consortium, focusing on optimizing the monitoring and management of CXL memory devices and enhancing their functionality for operating systems and applications.
➁ The specification also extends security through Trusted Security Protocol (TSP) and ensures full backward compatibility with previous CXL specifications.
➂ The CXL technology is designed for high-performance data center servers, allowing processor modules to share memory and providing low-latency interconnect paths for memory access and communication between host processors and devices that need shared memory resources.
- Optical Chip Breaks New Ground in Machine Learning Speed and Efficiency
➀ The current state-of-the-art machine learning applications use deep neural network models that have become so large and complex that they have exceeded the limits of traditional electronic computing hardware.
➁ Researchers at MIT and other institutions have developed a new type of photonic chip that can overcome these barriers.
➂ The optical device can complete the key calculations of machine learning classification tasks in less than half a nanosecond while achieving an accuracy rate of over 92%.
- TSMC's 2nm Technology Dominates Rivals with Its Weapons
➀ The article discusses the SRAM density of Intel's 18A process and TSMC's N2 process, highlighting the advantages of TSMC's N2 in terms of SRAM density and GAA technology.
➁ TSMC's 2nm process is expected to be introduced in 2025, with key technologies including GAA transistors and backside power supply networks.
➂ The challenges of manufacturing 2nm technology, including the complexity of GAA transistors and the dependency on EUV tools, are also addressed.
- The New Target for NAND: 1000 Layers
➀ The chip industry is striving to increase the stack height of 3D NAND flash memory from 200 layers to 800 layers or more in the coming years to meet the endless demand for various types of memory.
➁ The additional layers will bring new reliability issues and a series of incremental reliability challenges, but the NAND flash memory industry has been steadily increasing the stack height over the past decade.
➂ The development direction of 3D NAND is from 500 to 1,000 layers. However, achieving so many layers is not just a matter of doing more of what we have been doing.
- AWS's Strongest AI Chip: Deep Dive!
➀ Amazon is investing heavily in AI cluster construction with large-scale deployment of Hopper and Blackwell GPUs.
➁ AWS has allocated billions of dollars in capital expenditures to Trainium2 AI clusters.
➂ The article discusses the limitations of AWS's previous Trainium1 and Inferentia2 chips and the advancements made with Trainium2.
- Zhu Xiaohu Accuses Zhang Yutong of Hiding 14% Free Shares and Deceiving Shareholders, Leading to Her Dismissal
➀ Zhu Xiaohu, a partner at GSR Ventures, directly accused Zhang Yutong of hiding 14% free shares and deceiving shareholders, leading to her dismissal.
➁ Zhang Yutong was a key figure in the establishment and rapid high-valued financing of the Dark Side of the Moon, which caused disputes and conflicts with GSR Ventures.
➂ The conflict involves the division of shares between the Dark Side of the Moon and its parent company, Loop Intelligence, with Zhang Yutong holding a higher proportion of shares than expected.
December 4
- Another Major Corporation Lays Off Thousands!
➀ Analog Devices (ADI), a semiconductor manufacturer based in Massachusetts, has laid off thousands of employees globally and locally in 2024.
➁ As of November 2, 2024, ADI had approximately 24,000 employees, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous global employee count as of October 28, 2023, representing an 8% decrease.
➂ ADI's revenue for the fourth quarter was $2.443 billion, and for the fiscal year 2024, it was $9.43 billion, down 23% from the previous year. ADI expects revenue of $2.35 billion for the first quarter of fiscal year 2025.
- Hefei's 5 Billion Yuan Semiconductor Project Halted: No Hope of Resumption
➀ Hefei's 12-inch MEMS manufacturing line project, with an initial investment of 5.1 billion yuan, has been halted due to external factors.
➁ The project was initially a framework agreement and has not yet been constructed or launched, and it will not affect the company.
➂ There is currently no hope of restarting the project.
- Major News: 21 Chip Engineers Arrested!
➀ A former Samsung Electronics engineer was arrested for allegedly poaching core semiconductor talent from Samsung and leaking 20nm DRAM memory chip technology to Chinese companies.
➁ The man, a former employee, is accused of running an unregistered human resources agency in2018, offering high salaries to lure key Samsung Electronics talent to help replicate a DRAM factory in China, which was successfully produced in just 1 year and 3 months.
➂ The escaped technology is valued at 4.3 trillion KRW (about 30.4 billion USD), with an even larger economic loss when considering related economic benefits.
- The 12-Round-Funded Chip Unicorn Is Up for Sale
➀ A star unicorn company, Yunyinggu Technology, is planning to sell its controlling interest to Huizhong Technology through an equity and cash deal.
➁ Yunyinggu, founded in 2015, specializes in OLED display driver chips and has raised 12 rounds of financing, including investments from Xiaomi, Huawei, and Jingdong.
➂ Huizhong Technology, founded in 2002, has been focusing on fingerprint and touch chips and is looking to expand into the display chip market with the acquisition.
December 3
- Microchip to Close Down a Factory!
➀ Microchip Technology is planning to close a factory in Tempe, Arizona, impacting approximately 500 employees;
➁ The closure is due to high inventory levels and the company's ability to expand capacity in other factories;
➂ The company's CEO has retired, with the board chair stepping in as interim CEO and President.
- ASML's Export Controls and Impact on China's Semiconductor Industry
➀ ASML's overlay tool (YieldStar) and OPC mask making software (Tachyon suite) sales impacted by new export controls;
➁ Updated export control regulations include metrology and software in restricted technologies list;
➂ Additional fab locations in China added to US restrictions list;
➃ Commerce issued three new documents clarifying new export control rules;
➄ China's semiconductor phone book copied-pasted in the new export control list;
➅ ERC added 106 entities to the Entity List.
- Sudden Retirement Announcement: Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger Steps Down!
➀ Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger announced his retirement after over 40 years of outstanding career;
➁ Intel appointed David Zinsner and Michelle (MJ) Johnston Holthaus as interim co-CEOs;
➂ Intel's board is searching for a new CEO to replace Gelsinger.
- Cisco Demands Suppliers Exclude China-Made Chips
➀ Cisco has issued a notice to suppliers to strictly enforce the provision of chip origin certificates, requiring products to be free of China-made chips;
➁ The standard for COO certification has been upgraded from the final packaging location to the production site of the chips and masks, to ensure no 'origin washing';
➂ Cisco's network communication equipment involves national security considerations, necessitating strict tracing of chip origin;
➃ Dell, another PC manufacturer, has also planned to stop using China-made chips by 2024;
➄ HP, another PC manufacturer, is transferring some production capacity out of China, with the exclusion of China-made chips in the supply chain still under evaluation;
➅ The exclusion of China-made chips by US manufacturers could have a severe negative impact on local supply chain vendors in China;
➆ If US manufacturers want to retain the Chinese market, they may not require the exclusion of China-made components in products sold in China.
- 140 Chinese Semiconductor Companies Added to Entity List: Impact Analysis
➀ The U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has added 140 Chinese semiconductor-related companies to the Entity List.
➁ The focus of the crackdown is on domestic semiconductor manufacturing equipment manufacturers, including North Microelectronics, Top Technology, and Shanghai Shengmei.
➂ The impact on the Chinese semiconductor equipment industry is significant, with many leading domestic companies facing sanctions and restrictions on procurement of U.S. components.
December 2
- US Imposes New Round of Sanctions on Chinese Semiconductor Industry, Restricts Exports to 140 Companies!
➀ The US is set to impose new sanctions on China's semiconductor industry, restricting exports to 140 companies, including chip equipment manufacturers like North华创科技集团.
➁ The measures are aimed at hindering China's chip-making ambitions and preventing the production of chips that could threaten US national security.
➂ The restrictions include limiting exports of advanced memory chips, 24 chip-making tools, and 3 software tools, as well as new export controls on chip-making equipment produced in Singapore, Malaysia, and other countries.
- Analysis of the Suspension of 7nm Supply: Implications and Preparations
➀ The U.S. government's recent suspension of 7nm and below process AI chip manufacturing by TSMC and Samsung has raised concerns about the implications and future impacts;
➁ The details of the sanctions, including the conditions for restriction and the potential for future policies, are discussed;
➂ The article analyzes the broader implications of the sanctions on the AI and GPU industries, as well as the potential impact on cloud computing and autonomous driving chips;
➃ The necessity for China to accelerate its 7nm development and the importance of a coordinated national effort are highlighted;
➄ The challenges and opportunities for China's semiconductor industry in the face of the global shift towards advanced technologies are discussed.
- PC Key Chip Manufacturers Face Surge in Orders and Backorders Amid Tariff Concerns
➀ US President-elect Trump threatens to impose 10% to 25% tariffs on certain countries, impacting the laptop supply chain; brands like HP, Dell, and Microsoft have rushed to place additional orders with Taiwanese chip manufacturers like Winbond, Realtek, Unihan, and Molex to increase inventory before Trump's inauguration.
➁ The industry believes that the sudden increase in orders by laptop brands reflects unease about Trump's potential new tariff policies, boosting the operations of Taiwanese IC designers.
➃ Taiwanese IC design companies with dominant positions in laptop key chips are among the first to be asked to increase inventory by international laptop brands, and if the chip supply is insufficient, brands will have to bear the cost increase due to tariffs.
- InnoScience passes overseas listing filing
➀ InnoScience has passed the overseas listing filing with the China Securities Regulatory Commission;
➁ Plans to issue up to 107 million ordinary shares for overseas listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange;
➂ 51 shareholders will convert a total of 4.44 billion shares of unlisted shares in the mainland to overseas listed shares;
➃ Revenue increased by 769% to approximately 5.93 billion yuan in 2023, with a net loss of approximately 1.101 billion yuan, a decrease of 67.58% from 2021;
➄ Nitride semiconductor product line complete, with cumulative shipments exceeding 500 million units as of December 31, 2023;
➅ Global largest nitride semiconductor power device production base, with a monthly design capacity of 10,000 wafers;
➆ Fundraising plan includes expanding 8-inch nitride semiconductor wafer production capacity and product R&D.
- Huarens Group Takes Control of Changjiang Technology: Quan Huaying Appointed as Chairman!
➀ Changjiang Technology announced that the state-owned IC investment fund and Xindi Semiconductor have transferred 22.53% of their shares to China Resources Group's Panshi Runqi Information Management Co., Ltd., approved by the National Market Supervision Administration and the Korea Fair Trade Commission.
➁ High Yonggang, the former chairman of Changjiang Technology, along with directors Peng Jin and Zhang Chunsheng, resigned on November 13, making way for China Resources Group's board members.
➂ Quan Huaying, from the China Resources Group, has been appointed as the new chairman of Changjiang Technology, with Chen Rong and Liang Zheng also joining as non-independent directors.
November 27
- Moore Threads, China's NVIDIA, Prepares for IPO After One Year of Suppression
➀ Moore Threads, known as 'China's NVIDIA,' has filed for A-share listing guidance at the Beijing Securities Regulatory Bureau.
➁ The company, co-founded by Zhang Jianzhong, a former key figure at NVIDIA, has raised significant funding and is valued at 25.5 billion yuan.
➂ Despite being added to the U.S. entity list, Moore Threads is preparing for an IPO, indicating its resilience in the face of American suppression.
- IMEC Develops 64Gb/s O-Band GeSi Electro-Optic Absorption Modulator on 300mm Silicon Photonics Platform
➀ IMEC has made progress on O-band GeSi QCSE EAMs on a 300mm silicon photonics platform.
➁ The new structure design of QCSE EAMs includes improvements to suppress p-type doping, adjust the p-region structure, and reduce metal absorption losses.
➂ The device demonstrates a 3dB bandwidth greater than 50GHz and a dynamic extinction ratio of 2.3dB at 64Gb/s.
- Over 460 Million Yuan Investment in 8-Inch SiC Factory Construction
➀ Four SiC-related projects in China and abroad are making progress in construction.
➁ Jining's semiconductor packaging and testing base project phase two has started construction.
➂ Vishay's Newport 8-inch wafer factory has begun the first phase of construction with an initial investment of 4.65 billion RMB.
➃ Yinxinwei's IGBT/SiC power module manufacturing plant has opened, with a monthly capacity of up to 200,000 units.
➄ Jinchai Machine's semiconductor material equipment R&D and production project has been put into operation.
- Chip Design Companies Are Transitioning to Factoryization
➀ The reason for the factoryization of chip design companies includes the completion of technical accumulation.
➁ The oversupply of R&D talent accelerates the factoryization process.
➂ Adequate upstream resources drive the factoryization of chip design companies.
➃ The competition in the chip market is shifting from technology to efficiency and cost.
➄ The choice of upstream supply chain resources is crucial for the success of chip design companies.
➅ Innovation in products, technology, and markets is crucial for breaking through the current situation.
- Another Chip Industry Merger and Acquisition! Youa Group Announces Trading Halt
➀ Youa Group plans to acquire 82.37% of Shangyangtong, a power device chip company, through issuing shares and paying cash.
➁ Shangyangtong, founded in 2014, is headquartered in Shenzhen, focusing on the research and design of high-end semiconductor power device chips.
➂ Shangyangtong's revenue increased by 209% and 88% in the past two years, with a net profit of 140 million yuan in 2022 after turning a loss in 2020.
- Samsung Restructures Leadership: Semiconductor Head Directly Manages Storage
➀ Samsung Electronics announces a major restructuring of its senior management, maintaining a dual-CEO system.
➁ Deputy Chairman and Head of Equipment Solutions (DS) and Semiconductor Division Jeon Young-hyun will serve as co-CEOs alongside Han Jong-hee.
➂ The move aims to address the ongoing crisis in AI semiconductor business, particularly high-bandwidth memory (HBM), and enhance the company's competitive edge in the global market.
- Wuhan! Over 30 Chip Units Form Alliance!
➀ The 2024 High-End Chip Industry Innovation and Development Conference was held in Wuhan, where the High-End Chip Industry Innovation and Development Alliance was established.
➁ The alliance consists of over 30 units including Wuhan Institute of Industry Innovation and Development, Wuhan Xinxi, and China Information and Communications Technology, covering the upstream and downstream of the chip industry.
➂ The alliance aims to promote the innovative development of the high-end chip industry, and a cooperation agreement was signed by 8 units to accelerate the development of the industry.
- Beast-Level Performance! Seagate Nytro 4350 NVMe Enterprise SSD
➀ The rapid development of big data, cloud computing, and internet services has led to an increase in demand for enterprise SSDs as businesses accelerate their digital transformation.
➁ Seagate Technology and Phison have collaborated to design the Seagate Nytro 4350 NVMe SSD, offering various capacities and providing continuous performance, low latency, low power consumption, and high-quality service.
➂ The PCIe Gen4 SSD has a bandwidth over 10 times that of SATA SSDs and a throughput twice as much. The Seagate Nytro 4350 SSD offers up to 58K IOPS random write speed and 800K IOPS random read speed, providing continuous responsiveness and eliminating data bottlenecks.
November 26
- State Fund Support Focuses on Qingdao's Chip Industry
➀ The State Financial Supervisory Bureau expanded the AIC (Alternative Investment Company) equity investment pilot program to 18 cities, including Qingdao, to support financial resources for technological innovation.
➁ Qingdao has established six AIC equity investment funds, totaling 140 billion yuan, with a focus on the chip industry.
➂ Qingdao's IC industry projects have three highlights: emerging memory chips, AI chip layout, and key equipment projects.
➃ Qingdao's IC industry benefits from state-owned capital support, with significant investments in key projects like Xin En Semiconductor.
➄ Qingdao needs to increase the introduction of large-scale funds and focus on key industries to further strengthen its IC industry.
- STMicroelectronics: Fixed Contracts Lead to Dramatic Decline in MCU Sales
➀ STMicroelectronics reported a significant decline in MCU sales in 2024 due to non-cancellable and non-rearrangeable sales contracts used in 2022 and 2023, leading to increased customer inventory and subsequent drop in 2024 sales.
➁ The company's MCU sales for the first nine months of 2024 were approximately $2.58 billion, down 41.3% from $4.4 billion in the same period of 2023.
➂ CEO Jean-Marc Chery emphasized that 2025 will be a transitional year for the company to move towards better times in 2026 and 2027, with inventory adjustments expected to last at least until the first half of 2025.