Reportedly, the latest update on the U.S.-China tech fight is China’s decision to place exports restriction on gallium and germanium, which – according to some observers – could be followed by restrictions on rare earth exports. As for semiconductor subsidies updates, Broadcom will reportedly invest in a European Union-funded program in Spain which would include the construction of “large-scale back-end semiconductors facilities unique in Europe.” And French research institute CEA will receive funding from the French government for the construction of a new fab in Grenoble with the goal of downscaling FD-SOI (fully depleted silicon on insulator) chips below 10-nanometer and a to develop a new generation non-volatile onboard memory.
Samsung Foundry roadmap updates
On occasion of its recent Samsung Foundry Forum in San Jose, the South Korean company announced it will begin mass production of the 2-nanometer process for mobile applications in 2025, and then expand to HPC in 2026 and automotive in 2027. Mass production of SF1.4 will begin in 2027 as planned. From 2025, Samsung will begin foundry services for 8-inch gallium nitride power semiconductors. The 5-nanometer radio frequency process is also under development and will be available in the first half of 2025. Samsung Foundry is adding new manufacturing lines in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, and Taylor, Texas. The company said the construction of the new fab in Taylor is proceeding according to initial plans and is expected to finish by the end of the year, beginning operation in the second half of 2024. Among other news, Samsung is launching its ‘Multi-Die Integration Alliance’ in collaboration with partner companies and players in memory, substrate packaging, and testing. The MDI Alliance aims to create a packaging technology ecosystem for 2.5D and 3D heterogeneous integration.
