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November 21
- Nvidia's Performance Soars Again, But Concerns Linger
➀ Nvidia predicts higher revenue for the fourth quarter, but falls short of some investor expectations.
➁ The company's new Blackwell AI chip is well-received by customers, but will initially impact gross margins.
➂ Despite the growth in demand for Nvidia's chips, which are crucial for complex AI systems, the growth rate has slowed significantly compared to previous quarters.
- 国产AI芯片追赶NVIDIA的五个关键方面
➀ Single-chip computing power performance;
➁ Chip interconnect technology;
➂ Chip soft power - ecosystem;
➃ Chip production capacity and supply;
➄ Chip comprehensive cost-performance;
➅ Other factors affecting the development of domestic AI chips;
November 20
- Exploring NAND Flash with CXL Interface
➀ The rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning applications requires expanded memory capacity and data bandwidth;
➁ The CXL interface, based on PCIe, aims to provide low-latency, high-bandwidth connections for efficient memory sharing between devices such as CPUs, GPUs, and accelerators;
➂ The CXL interface allows Flash to overcome the semantic wall between DRAM and Flash, providing high capacity and low-cost memory.
November 14
- Smartronix Storage Senior Executives Punished for Large-scale Wafer Scrapping Incident!
➀ A large-scale wafer scrapping incident at Smartronix Storage's Hefei wafer factory has gained rapid attention;
➁ The incident, caused by human error, resulted in the scrapping of tens of thousands of wafers, affecting production efficiency and cost control;
➂ The company has taken strict disciplinary actions against the responsible executives, demonstrating its commitment to quality management and corporate responsibility.
November 13
- Chang Jiang Technology: Executive Shake-Up, Chairman Resigns!
➀ Chang Jiang Technology announced that its shareholders have completed the transfer of shares, with Pan Shi Run Qi becoming the new shareholder with a 22.53% stake;
➁ Due to the reorganization of the company's board of directors, directors and chairperson Gao Yonggang, director Peng Jin, and director Zhang Chunsheng have all submitted written resignation letters and will no longer hold any position in the company;
➂ The resignation of the three individuals does not affect the normal operation of the board of directors. Chang Jiang Technology will hold a special general meeting on November 29 to consider the election of some directors.
November 11
- Beihua Innovation: A Bit 'Profitable'
➀ Northern华创's net profit increased by 65.73% in 2023, outperforming the semiconductor industry.
➁ Northern华创's core business, semiconductor equipment, accounts for 76.49% of its total revenue.
➂ The high technical and customer barriers in the semiconductor equipment industry contribute to Northern华创's strong competitive position.
➃ Northern华创's growth is driven by the increasing demand for semiconductor equipment and the advancement of semiconductor technology.
- New Automotive SiC Production Base to Be Established in Jiangsu
➀ A new automotive SiC power module production base is planned to be established in Chongchuan District, Nantong City, Jiangsu Province;
➁ Hu Yongjun, the Secretary of the District Committee, met with representatives from JS Foundary and Zhisin Microelectronics to discuss further cooperation;
➂ JS Foundary CEO Yumi Akiyama expressed optimism about the development prospects of Nantong's integrated circuit industry;
➃ Zhisin Microelectronics plans to invest in the construction of the production base in the city's Beibei High-tech Industrial Park;
➄ JS Foundary, the first independent wafer foundry in Japan, is a strategic partner of Zhisin Microelectronics.
- TSMC's 2nm Process Breakthrough: Key Information
➀ TSMC is scheduled to start producing 2nm GAA wafers in the fourth quarter of 2025 at its Fab 20 factory in Hsinchu, with a capacity of 30k wpm, followed by the Fab 22 factory in Kaohsiung, also with a capacity of 30k wpm, starting production in the first quarter of 2026.
➁ N2P production will begin at the end of 2026, but without the previously announced backside power delivery.
➂ The N2 and N2P processes will use TSMC's NanoFlex technology, allowing chip designers to mix and match units from different libraries (high-performance, low-power, area-efficient) on the same design.
November 10
- Domestic Breakthrough! Dongfeng Motor Unveils First Domestic High-Performance Automotive MCU Chip
➀ Dongfeng Motor releases the high-performance automotive MCU chip DF30, filling a domestic gap;
➁ DF30 is the first chip in the industry based on the self-developed RISC-V multi-core architecture;
➂ DF30 is developed with domestic 40nm automotive process technology and has passed 295 rigorous tests;
➃ The chip is compatible with the domestic AutoSAR automotive software operating system and can be widely used in various fields such as power control, body and chassis, electronic information, and driving assistance.
- Why Lee Kefu Is So Busy
➀ Lee Kefu has been engaged in a demanding schedule, including public events, speaking engagements, and meetings over the past month;
➁ His busy lifestyle is linked to his role as the founder of Zero One Universe, which is facing challenges and requiring his full attention;
➂ He expresses concerns about OpenAI's potential dominance in the AI industry and the implications of pre-training models on AI development;
➃ Lee emphasizes the importance of realistic strategies for AI companies and the need to adapt to the market environment.
- ITC Final Ruling Confirms InnoSolar Customers Unaffected by InnoSolar and EPC Patent Dispute
➀ The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has ruled that InnoSolar's customers' imports to the U.S. are not affected by the ongoing patent dispute between InnoSolar and Efficient Power Conversion Corporation (EPC).
➁ ITC confirmed that InnoSolar did not infringe on EPC's US'508 patent, which was a significant victory for InnoSolar.
➂ However, the ruling upheld the initial determination that InnoSolar did infringe on the US'294 patent, leading to a limited exclusion order against InnoSolar's certain chips being exported directly to the U.S.
➃ InnoSolar disagrees with this decision and will appeal it, as the US'294 patent's validity is questionable and could be invalidated.
➄ The ruling clarified the meaning of the 'compensating GaN layer' claim, providing guidance for InnoSolar to design around the US'294 patent.
➅ InnoSolar has completed a design-around solution and will soon launch new products with the design.
➆ EPC's lawsuit will not negatively impact InnoSolar's customers, and InnoSolar is confident in achieving a complete victory through legal proceedings.
November 9
- US Investigates Five Major Semiconductor Equipment Manufacturers for Detailed Chinese Customer Information
➀ The US House Committee on China Affairs has sent letters to five US, Dutch, and Japanese companies, requesting detailed information about their sales volumes and customer base in mainland China.
➁ The letters require these companies to provide sales data and information on major customers to better understand how much chip-making technology is flowing into China.
➂ The action targets not only US companies but also Japanese and Dutch companies that dominate the global semiconductor manufacturing equipment market.
November 6
- Trump's Victory: What Impact on China's Semiconductor Industry?
➀ The Trump administration's previous policies towards the domestic semiconductor industry, particularly the use of the Entity List to restrict exports of advanced technology to Chinese companies;
➁ The significant impact of the Entity List on Chinese and global semiconductor industries, leading to an acceleration in the domestic push for semiconductor self-sufficiency;
➂ The potential for the Trump administration to further restrict access to advanced technology for Chinese companies, while also boosting domestic efforts to develop a more self-reliant semiconductor industry chain;
➃ The Trump administration's stance towards Taiwan, which is a major semiconductor manufacturing hub, and its potential impact on global semiconductor supply chains;
➄ The potential long-term effects of Trump's policies on the innovation and optimization of the domestic semiconductor industry chain, emphasizing the need for increased R&D investment and technological breakthroughs.
- ECOC2024: Silicon Photonics External Cavity Laser Solutions
➀ Silicon photonics heterogeneous integration: OpenLight Photonics demonstrates its tunable and DFB lasers based on silicon photonics heterogeneous integration on the Tower Semiconductor platform. Heterogeneous IIIV on silicon has started commercial use.
➁ Silicon photonics flip-chip bonding integration: Narrow linewidth external cavity tunable lasers are achieved using mature flip-chip bonding technology, with a key bonding precision of 700nm@3σ, reaching mass production level.
➂ Silicon photonics end-to-end hybrid integration: End-to-end coupling uses SSC to make ultra-low kappa grating performance external cavity. It has fast frequency sweep characteristics using LNOI, and is important for sensing applications.
- Ten Key Points About Musk's AI Ten Million Card Cluster
➀ Large cluster scale;
➁ High computing density;
➂ Large-scale deployment of cold plate liquid cooling;
➃ Network card and Roce networking solution;
➄ Switch model and specifications;
➅ Modular maintenance of GPU servers;
➆ Cabinet color indicator lights;
➇ The need for general-purpose servers;
➈ Importance of storage systems;
➍ Power supply guarantee system;
➎ Ongoing expansion of cluster scale.
November 4
- Xiangtan Businesswoman's Fortune Soars to 60 Billion Yuan
➀ Zhou Qunfei, the chairperson of Lens Technology, met with Apple's Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams, marking their 18-year partnership since the first iPhone was equipped with a glass screen.
➁ Zhou holds 61.94% of Lens Technology's shares, with a value exceeding 60 billion yuan. Her and her husband's wealth of 63.5 billion yuan ranks first in Hunan on the Hurun Rich List.
➂ Lens Technology provides glass, metal, ceramic components, and assembly services for Apple's iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch, with 57.8% of its 315 billion yuan sales coming from Apple in 2023.
November 3
- Apple's Cheaper Vision Pro Delayed Again: The Reason Behind the Price and Use Case Challenges
➀ Apple has postponed the production of the more affordable Vision Pro beyond 2027.
➁ The delay is due to the challenge of creating successful use cases for the device, akin to the HomePod mini's struggle to gain widespread acceptance.
➂ Apple's pricing strategy is under scrutiny, as its concept of 'affordable' may still be costly compared to competitors.
- GlobalFoundries Fined $500,000 by US Government for Violating Semiconductor Export Regulations
➀ The US government has imposed a $500,000 fine on GlobalFoundries for violating export regulations by shipping over $17 million worth of wafers to SJ Semiconductor, which was on the entity list managed by the US Department of Commerce.
➁ SJ Semiconductor, a former majority-owned subsidiary of SMIC, was added to the entity list in 2020 but its shares were sold to other investors in 2021.
➂ GlobalFoundries sent 74 batches of wafers to SJ Semiconductor between February 2021 and October 2022, totaling over $17 million, despite the lack of any relationship with SMIC during that period.
- The Survival Sample of a Hard Technology Startup with 9 Years of Financing and 32 Rounds
➀ Horizon Robotics raised approximately 5.4 billion Hong Kong dollars in its IPO, becoming the largest Hong Kong IPO of the year.
➁ The company has raised a total of 2.363 billion US dollars through 32 financing rounds, with about 100 institutions participating.
➂ The article discusses the investment strategy of various investors, including 5Yuan Capital, Hillhouse Capital, DST, Baillie Gifford, SAIC, CATL, BYD, Volkswagen, Intel, and SK Hynix.
- Tian Cheng Advanced Announces 'Nine Layers' Technology Platform: A Milestone in Chinese Semiconductor Innovation
➀ Tian Cheng Advanced Semiconductor Technology Co., Ltd. achieves breakthroughs in technology development and production;
➁ The company focuses on semiconductor technology innovation and contributes to the development of the integrated circuit industry in Zhuhai and the Greater Bay Area;
➂ The 'Nine Layers' technology platform is unveiled, symbolizing advanced technology and corporate culture, aiming to optimize the wafer ecosystem.
- TSMC Plans Price Hike: 3nm Up 5%, CoWoS Up 20%!
➀ TSMC is considering raising prices for its in-demand 3nm process and CoWoS advanced packaging technology to meet the huge demand.
➁ TSMC plays a crucial role in the manufacturing of high-performance computing and cloud AI chips, with a significant demand for its advanced processes and packaging technologies.
➂ Reportedly, TSMC plans to implement the price increase in 2025 with NVIDIA's approval, affecting the entire supply chain.
- Revealing Qualcomm's Self-Developed Oryon CPU: A Cross-Platform Ecosystem for Mobile, PC, and Automotive!
➀ Qualcomm unveiled the next-generation flagship mobile platform, Snapdragon 8 Ultra, featuring the second-generation Oryon CPU.
➁ Oryon CPU, with its high performance and energy efficiency, has seen a 45% improvement in both single-core and multi-core performance.
➂ Qualcomm has achieved full in-house development of Snapdragon SoC with the integration of Oryon CPU, GPU, NPU, ISP, DSP, and baseband.
- Semiconductor Giants: Some Rejoice, Others Worry
➀ The semiconductor market is experiencing a mixed situation with some companies thriving and others struggling.
➁ ASML's stock price continues to fall due to challenges in the market and geopolitical uncertainties.
➂ BESI's revenue and orders have grown significantly, but the company is facing challenges in the mainstream and Chinese packaging equipment markets.
➃ Lam Research has reported strong financial results, driven by strong demand for advanced logic and DRAM in Asia.
➄ Teradyne's revenue increased due to robust performance in its semiconductor testing business.
➅ ASM International's order book exceeded analyst expectations, driven by strong demand for AI chip key technologies.
➆ KLA's revenue and earnings exceeded expectations, and the company is optimistic about the semiconductor market's growth in 2025.
➇ SK Hynix achieved record profits and sales due to strong sales of high-end AI memory products like HBM.
➈ TSMC's third-quarter profit increased significantly, driven by strong demand for AI chips.
➉ United Microelectronics Corporation reported better financial results compared to Force Microelectronics Inc.
➊ Infineon and Texas Instruments have different views on the automotive semiconductor market, with Infineon predicting a slowdown and Texas Instruments remaining optimistic.
- World Advanced: Entering the 12-inch Wafer Fabrication Market
➀ World Advanced announced its entry into the 12-inch wafer fabrication market and the construction of a new factory this year, with the company and the outside world showing confidence in the plan, hoping that the new factory will be fully operational in five years, doubling the annual revenue from 50 billion to 100 billion.
➁ The company plans to lead the 12-inch project, investing $7.8 billion, in a joint venture with NXP, and receiving all the necessary technology and resources from TSMC. The company's board of directors, management, and the outside world are all confident in the plan, and the company also remembers its social responsibility for corporate governance and environmental changes.
➂ World Advanced will focus on the development of power management chips next year, expecting the performance in the ultra-high-voltage process to grow by double-digit percentages. However, there are still uncertainties such as geopolitical issues and the US election, which need to be observed and paid attention to.
November 2
- Domestic Smartphone Brands Raise Prices, But TSMC Takes the Money
➀ Domestic smartphone brands such as vivo, OPPO, OnePlus, and Xiaomi have released new models, with prices increasing.
➁ The increase in prices is attributed to the rising cost of processors, particularly from Qualcomm and MediaTek.
➂ TSMC, as the dominant player in the semiconductor industry, has been hiking its manufacturing prices, driving up the costs for smartphone brands.
➃ The demand for 3nm process chips is strong, with major tech companies like Apple and NVIDIA placing large orders with TSMC.
➄ The rising costs are not translating into increased profits for smartphone brands, with most of the profit going to TSMC and Qualcomm.
- From the Dissolution of 3PEAK's MCU Team: Reflections on the Future of Domestic MCU
➀ The global MCU market reached a high of $28.2 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.6% from 2023 to 2033, reaching $70.6 billion by 2033.
➁ There are several types of domestic MCU manufacturers, including listed companies, long-standing players, emerging enterprises led by former overseas MCU team executives, and MCU departments of large terminal application manufacturers.
➂ 3PEAK's dissolution of its MCU team was a result of a difficult decision made by the company's management team, considering investment and current market conditions.
➃ Domestic MCU companies need to focus on market research, customer relationship building, and product innovation to compete in the global market.
- Naura CVD GO: North Microelectronics Delivers High Uniformity, Large Capacity 12-inch Cygnus Series PECVD Equipment to Customers
➀ North Microelectronics has delivered a high uniformity, large capacity 12-inch plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) equipment, suitable for large warpage silicon wafers, to customers;
➁ North Microelectronics has been dedicated to the PECVD equipment field for many years, launching the EPEE 550 series for LED applications in 2012, and the EPEE i200/800 series for power devices, compound, and MEMS in 2019;
➂ The Cygnus series, introduced in 2022, is designed for integrated circuit applications, capable of preparing high-quality dielectric films for logic, storage, and advanced packaging, and addressing challenges of large warpage silicon wafers.
- India's First 12-inch Wafer Factory Launched, TSMC Receives First Fab IP Payment
➀ TSMC announced the launch of its 12-inch wafer factory in India, a joint venture with Tata Group.
➁ The factory, located in Gujarat, is set to receive $11 billion in investments and aims to create over 20,000 high-tech jobs.
➂ TSMC will provide technology transfer and training, while Tata Group and the Indian government will fund the investment.
- Betting Big on EUV Lithography: US Invests $10 Billion in Semiconductor R&D
➀ The U.S. Department of Commerce and the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC) announced the construction of the first chip R&D flagship facility based on the U.S. Chip and Science Act.
➁ The facility, to be located in the Albany NanoTech Complex in New York, will focus on advanced EUV technology and related R&D.
➂ The project is expected to receive $825 million in proposed federal investment.
- Samsung Starts Supplying HBM3E to Major Customer, Micron Stock Plummets
➀ Samsung Electronics has begun supplying its most advanced high-bandwidth memory HBM3E to a major customer after passing key validation procedures.
➁ The customer is believed to be NVIDIA, a leading AI chip manufacturer.
➂ SK Hynix currently holds over 50% of the HBM market share and is the main supplier of HBM3 and HBM3E to NVIDIA and AMD.
➃ Micron started mass production of HBM3E in February and plans to capture 20-25% of the HBM market share by 2025.
➄ Micron's stock plummeted by 4.26% on October 31st following the news.