➀ Compute Express Link (CXL) technology is expected to move from a niche to mainstream use in 2025; ➁ CXL's support for memory expansion is a significant driver, with various server and memory solutions now available; ➂ CXL 2.0 and future generations of PCIe/CXL will enable more advanced use cases like switching and dynamic memory allocation.

➀ Rapidus has received an ASML EUV machine for installation at its IIM-1 foundry in Chitose, Hokkaido; ➁ This marks the first time EUV technology will be used for mass production in Japan; ➂ The TWINSCAN NXE:3800E machine can process 220 wafers an hour; ➃ Rapidus plans to start pilot silicon production at IIM-1 in April 2025 with a single-wafer process.

➀ Russia unveils a plan to develop its own EUV lithography machines; ➁ The machines will use a laser with a 11.2nm wavelength, incompatible with existing EUV infrastructure; ➂ The development is divided into three stages, with the first focusing on foundational research.

➀ Huawei's Ascend AI chip progress stalls due to US sanctions; ➁ The 7nm node lags behind TSMC by eight years; ➂ Huawei struggles to secure EUV equipment from ASML.

➀ NVIDIA has announced a new Grace Blackwell platform with the NVIDIA GB200 NVL4, which combines two Arm-based Grace CPUs and four Blackwell GPUs. The platform is designed for lower power deployments with a power consumption of just over 6kW. The NVL4 module is targeted to be a large node with up to 1.3TB of combined coherent memory. ➁ The GB200 NVL4 is set to ship in the second half of 2025. ➂ The NVL4 is designed as an alternative to the higher power and higher GPU count platforms offered by NVIDIA, targeting specific deployment needs.

➀ Introducing the Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro 3D printer at an affordable price; ➁ Review highlights fast print speeds and excellent quality; ➂ Special discount available on Elegoo's website

➀ Researchers from Queen Mary University of London have developed new nanocomposite films from starch, offering a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based materials; ➁ The films are made from abundant natural polymer starch and highly conductive MXene, with potential applications in electronics and sensing; ➂ The nanocomposites can be tailored for various uses, including wearable technology and healthcare, and are biodegradable.

➀ TSMC is set to acquire its first high-NA EUV lithography machine by the end of the year; ➁ Intel currently has two of these $350 million machines; ➂ TSMC plans to use the new machines for its A10 process in 2030, two generations after its 2nm process.

➀ Korea’s September semiconductor exports reached a record high of $13.63 billion, up 36.3% year-on-year. Memory exports grew 60.7% year-on-year and 20% month-on-month to $8.72 billion. SoC exports rose 5.2% year-on-year to $4.37 billion. ➁ The overall Information and Communication Technology exports in September 2024 increased by 24% year-on-year to $22.36 billion. ➂ HBM had a significant impact on DRAM export values, and TrendForce forecasts that memory price growth will slow in Q4.

➀ Wolfspeed wins $750m Chips Act award; ➁ Vietnam semi plan; ➂ China to have 11% of global DRAM capacity this year; ➃ Kioxia’s route from $30bn to $5bn; ➄ Intel sets up second high-NA EUV machine

➀ The research investigates the effects of adding TiC nanoparticles to aluminum alloy 7075, aiming to enhance casting performance and improve fluidity and surface quality; ➁ TiC nanoparticles were introduced in two concentrations, and their impact on fluidity and microstructure was analyzed; ➂ The results showed a significant improvement in fluidity and surface quality, with finer grain sizes and smoother surfaces.

➀ The increase in electricity consumption cannot be solely attributed to EUV; ➁ Electricity consumption will still increase without EUV; ➂ EUV has been demonized.

➀ Tesla's BEV market share dropped from 19% to 17% in the first five months of 2024; ➁ BYD is just one point behind Tesla at 16%; ➂ The BEV portfolio of legacy automakers like Volkswagen and Geely-Volvo stood at 7 and 8 percent, respectively.

➀ Malcolm Penn, CEO of Future Horizons, highlights the uncertainty in the chip industry, with a strong Q4 2023 followed by a minus 5.7% Q1 2024 and an unexpected 6.5% growth in Q2 2024. ➁ The industry faces challenges such as weak global economy, low unit demand, excess capacity, and declining ASPs. ➂ Future Horizons forecasts a median annual growth of 15% for 2024 with a bull forecast of 17% and a bear forecast of 13%.

➀ Samsung plans to install its first High-NA EUV lithography tool in late 2024 for R&D purposes. ➁ The tool, an ASML Twinscan EXE:5000, will be used to develop next-generation process technologies at Samsung's Hwaseong campus. ➂ Samsung aims to build a robust ecosystem around High-NA EUV technology, collaborating with several companies to prepare for commercial implementation by 2027.

➀ Imec and ASML have successfully patterned sub-20nm pitch metal layers using High NA EUV lithography in a single exposure. ➁ The results demonstrate the capability of High NA EUV to enable dimensional scaling of logic and memory technologies. ➂ These achievements were made possible through the joint ASML-imec lab, accelerating the introduction of High NA lithography into manufacturing.

➀ Intel is moving its second High NA EUV tool to its Oregon development fab to focus on the development of its 14A generation of chips. ➁ The $380 million machine is expected to enable 2D feature scaling with up to 2.9x more density compared to existing EUV tools. ➂ Intel plans to use both 0.33NA EUV and 0.55NA EUV alongside other lithography processes for IC development and manufacturing.