Core Viewpoint - ASML is optimistic about the semiconductor industry's growth driven by artificial intelligence (AI), predicting global semiconductor sales will exceed $1 trillion by 2030, with ongoing opportunities in equipment sales [1][2] Group 1: Semiconductor Market Outlook - The global semiconductor sales value is expected to surpass $1 trillion by 2030, driven by AI [1] - AI will enhance both advanced and mature process demands in the semiconductor sector, with a significant reliance on sensors that depend on mature processes [1] Group 2: ASML's Product Development - ASML has introduced new equipment targeting the backend packaging application field, with initial shipments occurring in Q3 of this year to meet customer demand [1] - The company is expanding its product line and applications, with related stocks such as Nanya Technology and GlobalWafers expected to benefit [1] Group 3: High NA EUV Technology - ASML's High NA EUV equipment has been successfully demonstrated by major clients like Intel, IBM, and Samsung, with over 350,000 chips exposed using this technology [2] - The High NA EUV equipment offers higher imaging quality and simplified processes, helping clients save time and costs [1][2] Group 4: Industry Trends and Innovations - AI is seen as a key driver for accelerating innovation in semiconductor design and manufacturing technologies, addressing challenges in computing power and energy consumption [2] - Major chip manufacturers are pursuing various paths for process miniaturization, including 2D scaling, new transistor architecture designs, and 3D packaging integration [2] - ASML emphasizes a holistic lithography product portfolio to support industry trends, which is crucial for 3D integration and significantly improves wafer-to-wafer bonding precision [2]

Investment Rating - The report rates the electronic industry as "Outperform the Market" [1] Core Viewpoints - The hollow-core fiber (HCF) technology is expected to significantly enhance data transmission capabilities, with Microsoft planning to deploy 15,000 kilometers of HCF over the next 24 months [5][6] - The global hollow-core fiber market is on an upward trend, with the market size projected to reach $8.22 billion in 2024, and the Chinese market for hollow-core fiber at $0.07 billion, indicating substantial growth potential [12][13] - Long Fiber Optic Co. is highlighted as a key supplier in the hollow-core fiber sector, with significant advancements in manufacturing and technology [20][23] Summary by Sections 1. Hollow-Core Fiber Overview - Hollow-core fiber uses air as the transmission medium, offering advantages such as reduced latency (31.8% lower than traditional fibers), high input power, low attenuation, and large bandwidth [9][10][11] - The structure includes a hollow glass capillary and reflective layers, allowing for efficient transmission of long-wave infrared laser beams [6][9] 2. Application in Data Centers - Hollow-core fiber is poised to revolutionize data center connectivity, with applications in metropolitan, wide-area, and edge data centers, enhancing transmission speeds and efficiency [18][19] - The technology is expected to improve AI training efficiency by over 10% due to its low-latency characteristics [18] 3. Long Fiber Optic Co. Profile - Long Fiber Optic Co., established in 1988, is a leading player in the fiber optic market, with projected revenues of 12.197 billion yuan in 2024 and a compound annual growth rate of approximately 10.36% from 2020 to 2024 [20][23] - The company invests significantly in R&D, with a consistent increase in the proportion of R&D expenses relative to revenue [20][21] 4. Market Performance - The electronic industry index experienced a decline of 4.57% recently, ranking 28th out of 31 sectors, while the broader market index (CSI 300) fell by 0.81% [38] - Specific sectors within the electronic industry, such as digital chip design and integrated circuit packaging, faced significant declines, indicating market volatility [42][45]

Core Viewpoint - Major technology companies like Apple, MediaTek, and Qualcomm are targeting TSMC's 2nm process, which has begun accepting orders at a cost of $30,000 per wafer, presenting a significant challenge for the next generation of process nodes. The subsequent 1.4nm "A" process is expected to be even more expensive, with costs potentially reaching $45,000 per wafer, a 50% increase compared to the 2nm node [1][3][12]. Summary by Sections 1.4nm Process Cost and Features - TSMC's A14 (1.4nm) manufacturing technology promises significant improvements in performance, power consumption, and transistor density compared to the N2 (2nm) process. The A14 process is expected to cost up to $45,000 per wafer, which is a 50% increase from the 2nm node [3][5]. - The A14 process will utilize TSMC's second-generation GAA (Gate-All-Around) nanosheet transistors and NanoFlex Pro technology, which allows for greater design flexibility. It is projected to achieve a 10-15% speed improvement, a 25-30% reduction in power consumption, and a logic density increase of approximately 1.23 times compared to the N2 process [5][7]. Potential Customers for 1.4nm Process - TSMC's top customers, including Nvidia, Apple, MediaTek, Intel, Qualcomm, and Broadcom, are likely to adopt the 1.4nm process. Nvidia is expected to significantly increase its contribution to TSMC's revenue, projected to rise from 5-10% in 2023 to over 20% by 2025 [8][9]. - Apple is anticipated to place orders worth approximately NT$1 trillion (around $33 billion) for 2nm technology by 2025, which could increase its share of TSMC's revenue significantly [9][10]. Future Cost Trends - The costs of wafers are expected to continue rising, with the 1.4nm process not utilizing expensive High NA EUV lithography technology, indicating potential for further price increases in future nodes [12][13]. - Analysis suggests that if the light source power does not increase, the overall lithography costs for future nodes could rise by up to 20% compared to the current 3nm baseline [14][16]. - The semiconductor industry is observing rising costs in EDA and IP, which may contribute to the overall increase in chip production costs in the future [17].