国芯网[原:中国半导体论坛] 振兴国产半导体产业！ 不拘中国、 放眼世界 ！ 关注 世界半导体论坛 ↓ ↓ ↓ 3月19日消息，近日，多家日企已发出预警，霍尔木兹海峡若长期无法恢复通航，原料链将彻底断裂，将导致高端光刻胶大幅减产 甚至停摆，全球半导体材料供应链面临系统性危机。 光刻胶是一种对光反应后化学性质发生变化的"感光物质"。特别具有将光线聚集到一处的特性，因此在半导体工艺的初期阶段"光刻工艺"中被广 泛用作核心材料。涂覆在晶圆上后，能将射向晶圆的光线集中到一点，从而帮助绘制精细的电路图案。 全球半导体光刻胶市场，日本合成橡胶(JSR)、信越化学、东京应化、住友化学、美国杜邦、韩国东进世美肯等企业占据绝对主导地位，合计供应 量占世界总供应量的95%。其中，日本绝对领先。 据报道，日本三大光刻胶巨头——JSR、信越化学、东京应化——已经拉响警报：由于 霍尔木兹海峡 封锁， 光刻胶 关 键原料库存仅剩3-6个 月。 业内人士分析， 霍尔木兹海峡 短期（1-3个月） 封锁将导致 原料成本暴涨20-50%，报价上调，交期从4周延至8-16周，产能利用率下降； 中期 封锁 （3-6个月）将导致ArF/EUV产线大面 ...

Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the importance of unifying instruction set architecture (ISA) for the development of China's computing chips, suggesting that RISC-V should be adopted as a standard to enhance innovation and resource efficiency in the semiconductor industry [5][30]. Group 1: Evolution of Computing Architecture - Over the past 40 years, the development of processor chips has followed a "negation of negation" spiral, oscillating between self-research and abandonment [4]. - The last five years have seen a resurgence of machine and platform manufacturers entering the "chip war," shifting from CPU-centric homogeneous computing systems to heterogeneous computing involving CPUs and xPUs [5]. - The computing evolution has transitioned from centralized processing to distributed systems, with the current core CPUs dominated by x86 and ARM architectures [9][10]. Group 2: Challenges in Architecture Innovation - The article discusses the difficulty of architecture innovation and the greater challenge of building an ecosystem, highlighting that software and collaboration barriers are significant [14]. - The dominance of x86 architecture is attributed to its ability to adapt and expand its instruction set to meet new application demands, while RISC architectures have struggled due to high costs and inability to disrupt existing ecosystems [11][13]. - The article notes that the software development costs significantly exceed hardware costs, making it challenging for new architectures to gain traction in the market [19]. Group 3: Future of RISC-V and ARM - RISC-V faces commercialization challenges despite its potential, with successful applications primarily in simple software scenarios like embedded systems [21]. - The article predicts that x86 CPUs will continue to dominate the server market for the foreseeable future, while ARM's success will depend on its ability to penetrate the x86-dominated landscape [20]. - The article suggests that the future of RISC-V in general-purpose computing will require overcoming significant hurdles, particularly in software and ecosystem development [24]. Group 4: Unified Instruction Set as a Key Pathway - The article advocates for a unified instruction set as a critical pathway for scaling China's computing chips, with cloud service providers being more successful in self-developing chips due to their control over the entire stack [25][26]. - It highlights that successful self-developed chips, like those from Apple, are not just about hardware but also about the integration of software and ecosystem capabilities [27][28]. - The call for RISC-V as a unified instruction system aims to avoid redundant efforts and resource wastage in chip development, promoting a more efficient innovation landscape [30].

Core Insights - MediaTek has successfully completed the design tape-out of its first flagship SoC using TSMC's 2nm process, expected to enter mass production by the end of next year [1] - The 2nm process represents a significant advancement in semiconductor technology, promising enhanced performance and energy efficiency for applications such as mobile processors, generative AI, and high-performance computing [1] - TSMC's 2nm technology utilizes nanosheet transistor architecture, achieving a 1.2x increase in logic density, up to 18% performance improvement at the same power level, and a 36% reduction in power consumption at the same speed compared to the N3E process [1] Industry Context - TSMC is a leading foundry, producing chips for major tech companies, including Apple and NVIDIA, and is crucial for the production of processors used in devices like iPhones and iPads [2] - Qualcomm and MediaTek are currently competing with their next-generation flagship SoCs primarily based on TSMC's 3nm process, with competition expected to extend to the more advanced 2nm process as it matures [2] - According to Counterpoint Research, MediaTek holds the largest market share in smartphone application processors at 36%, benefiting from increased demand for entry-level and mainstream products, while Qualcomm follows with 28% and Apple at 17% [2]

Core Viewpoint - Apple is set to introduce its own Wi-Fi 7 chip across all four iPhone 17 models, marking a significant step towards vertical integration and reducing reliance on external suppliers like Qualcomm and Broadcom [1][2]. Group 1: iPhone 17 and Wi-Fi 7 - All four iPhone 17 models are expected to feature Apple's custom-designed Wi-Fi 7 chip, with completion of the design anticipated in the first half of 2024 [1]. - The iPhone 16 series already supports Wi-Fi 7, making this development less surprising, but the fact that Apple is designing its own chip is noteworthy [1]. - Wi-Fi 7 allows simultaneous data transmission across 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands, potentially offering peak speeds exceeding 40 Gbps, which is four times faster than Wi-Fi 6E [2]. Group 2: Proxima Chip and Smart Home Strategy - Apple's development of its Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, codenamed Proxima, signifies a major shift in its smart home strategy, with initial testing on devices like Apple TV and HomePod mini [4]. - The transition from Broadcom components is expected to begin in 2025, which may reshape the interaction of Apple devices within the home ecosystem [4]. - Proxima chip aims to enhance device synchronization, improve power efficiency, and provide customized features for the Apple ecosystem [5]. Group 3: Financial Impact and Strategic Implications - Following the announcement of Apple's plans, Broadcom's stock fell by 3.9%, reflecting the financial implications of Apple's move, given that Apple accounts for approximately 20% of Broadcom's revenue [6]. - The development of Proxima is part of a broader strategy for Apple to create an end-to-end wireless solution, paving the way for new device formats and potentially impacting the future of Apple's product line [6].