日本新贵，要弯道超车台积电

Core Viewpoint - Rapidus, a Japanese semiconductor manufacturer, is developing a technology to reduce the production costs of semiconductors for artificial intelligence applications, aiming to compete more effectively with TSMC, which is preparing for full-scale production [1] Group 1: Technology Development - Rapidus has created the world's first prototype of an intermediary layer made from large glass substrates, targeting mass production by 2028 [1] - The intermediary layer serves as a platform for installing GPUs and high-bandwidth memory for AI semiconductors, providing interconnections between these components [1] - By using a square glass substrate with a side length of 600mm, Rapidus can produce ten times the number of intermediary layers compared to traditional methods that use 300mm circular silicon wafers, significantly reducing waste [1] Group 2: Competitive Landscape - Rapidus plans to mass-produce 2nm chips and aims to start forming circuits on wafers in the fiscal year 2027, with large-scale production of the backend processes expected to begin in 2028 [2] - The company is leveraging the latest materials suitable for AI semiconductors without being constrained by existing practices, positioning itself as a latecomer in the industry [2] Group 3: Financial Support and Market Position - The Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has committed to providing Rapidus with 1.72 trillion yen (approximately 111 billion USD) in support, with 180.5 billion yen allocated for backend processes [2] - Currently, mainland China and Taiwan account for 30% and 28% of global backend production, respectively, while Japan lags behind at only 6% [3] - Rapidus is collaborating with other Japanese companies to automate backend production processes, which are becoming increasingly complex due to the nature of AI chip assembly [3]