Opinionated - China Chipping Away to Semiconductor Dominance

[cirr]

我国光通信技术取得突破性进展:实现Pb/s级光传输
来源：C114中国通信网 • 2019-02-13 09:06:09
近日，从中国信息通信科技集团传来喜讯，我国光通信技术再次取得突破性进展。光纤通信技术和网络国家重点实验室、国家信息光电子创新中心、烽火通信和光迅科技经过联合研究攻关，在国内首次实现1.06Pbit/s超大容量波分复用及空分复用的光传输系统实验，传输容量是目前商用单模光纤传输系统最大容量的10倍，可以在1秒之内传输约130块1TB硬盘所存储的数据。该实验采用了国内在光传输系统技术、光器件和光芯片技术、光纤光缆技术上最领先的研究成果，标志着我国在“超大容量、超长距离、超高速率”光通信系统研究领域再次迈向了新的台阶。

该系统设备在C+L波段内产生了375个光载波，基于硅光相干收发芯片实现了25GHz通道内的178.18Gbit/s DFTs-PDM-16QAM信号光收发，在单模19芯光纤内完成了光传输验证，传输总容量达到1.06Pbit/s，净频谱效率达到了113bit/s/Hz。经第三方检测验证，此次实现的“1.06Pbit/s超大容量单模多芯光纤光传输系统”为国内首次，达到了国际先进水平。

同时，此次实验所使用的核心光芯片和光纤均为自主研制，具有完全自主知识产权。硅光相干收发芯片由国家信息光电子创新中心、光纤通信技术和网络国家重点实验室、光迅科技和烽火通信联合研制，在一个不到30mm2的硅芯片上集成了包括光发送、调制、接收等近60个有源和无源光元件，且能支持C+L波段同时工作，是目前国内集成度最高的商用光子集成芯片。这次通过工艺及技术突破，解决了单模十九芯光纤的通道间串扰难题，相邻纤芯的隔离度优于-40dB，把“车道”与“车道”之间的干扰和影响降到了最低。

China's optical communications technology breakthrough: achieving Pb/s class optical transmission
Source: C114 China Communication Network • 2019-02-13 09:06:09

Recently, the Information and Communication Technology Group from China came the good news, China's optical communication technology breakthrough again. State Key Laboratory of fiber optic communications technology and networks, optoelectronics innovation State Information Center, the flames of communication and Accelink through joint research studies in the country for the first time 1.06Pbit/s large capacity wavelength division multiplexing optical transmission systems and space division multiplexing experiments the transmission capacity is the current commercial single-mode fiber transmission system has a maximum capacity of 10 times, the data can be stored in the hard disk 1TB transmitted in 1 to about 130 seconds. The experiment uses a domestic optical transmission systems, optical devices and light in chip technology, optical fiber cable leading technology research indicates that China in the "large capacity, long distance, high rate" of optical communication systems research field again Mai to a new level.

The apparatus generates in the system C + L band optical carrier 375, a silicon-based optical coherent transceiver chip implements 178.18Gbit / s DFTs-PDM-16QAM signals in the 25GHz optical transceiver channel 19 finished in a single-mode optical fiber the optical transmission verification, a total transmission capacity of 1.06Pbit/s, the net spectral efficiency of 113bit / s / Hz. By third-party testing to verify that the realization of "1.06Pbit / s large capacity multi-core optical fiber single-mode optical transmission system" for the first time, reached the international advanced level.

Meanwhile, the core chip and the optical fiber used in the experiment were independently developed, with completely independent intellectual property rights. Silicon coherent optical transceiver chip, State Key Laboratory of optical communication technology and networks, and beacon communication Accelink jointly developed by the National Innovation Center photoelectron information, including integrated optical transmission, modulation, received on a silicon chip of less than 30mm2 nearly 60 active and passive optical components, and can support C + L-band simultaneously, is the highest degree of integration of domestic commercial photonic integrated chip. By this process and technological breakthroughs to solve the inter-channel single-mode optical fiber 19 Pin crosstalk problems, the adjacent core isolation better than -40dB, and the impact of interference between "Drive" and "lane" down lowest.


http://www.inpai.com.cn/news/tx/20190213/16515.html

China develops optic fibers that can carry 30 billion simultaneous phone calls

2019-02-14 09:09:35 Global Times Editor : Li Yan

Chinese researchers have developed an optic fiber that can carry 30 billion phone calls simultaneously, making the country one of the leaders in the ultra-high speed data transmission field.

The transmission rate is said to have reached 1.06 petabyte per second, almost twice as fast as the previous limit of 560 terabytes per second achieved by the researchers in 2017.

The experiment was recently carried out by researchers at the national key laboratory of optical fiber communication technology and network in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei Province.

The experiment is a breakthrough in the domain of "ultra-high capacity, ultra-long distance and ultra-high speed" optical communication, stated a press release sent to the Global Times by the State-owned telecommunication giant China Information and Communication Technologies Group Corp (CICT), which funded the experiment.

A domestically developed special optical fiber with single mode and 19 cores was used in the experiment, increasing transmission capacity 10 times greater than the maximum capacity provided by current commercial use single-mode optical fiber, the news release said.

The 2017 record was reached when adopting fiber with seven cores, and more cores basically means more tunnels available for information transmission, Li Shengtang, the company's spokesperson, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

"As data communication shows explosive growth, there is massive pressure on existing infrastructure networks. The 'three ultra' optical transmission provided a solution, and an adequate foundation for the coming 5G era," He Zhixue, a PhD researcher with the laboratory and a leading member for the experiment, told the Global Times.

He predicted the market demand for the three-ultra optical transmission will skyrocket in five to 10 years.

A new homegrown chip made from silicon-based material was also used in the experiment. It transforms electrical signals into optical signal at the sending end and returned them to electrical ones at the receiving end, according to the researcher.

He noted that the transmission capacity achieved during the experiment indicates the country has entered the top five in the field.

 

[cirr]

SMIC Reports 2018 Fourth Quarter Results

。。。。。。。。。。。。。

Dr. Liang said, "We are working hard to establish advanced technology total solutions, with particular focus on the fundamentals of FinFET technology, platform development, and customer engagement. At present, SMIC's first generation of 14nm FinFET technology has already entered customer product verification; product reliability and yields have readily improved. Meanwhile, 12nm process development achieved breakthrough. Through our research and development's continuous innovation, optimized production, strengthening design, and pursuit of potential markets, we are confident in our future opportunities."

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/smic-reports-2018-fourth-quarter-results-300795744.html

 

[JSCh]

PUBLIC RELEASE: 13-FEB-2019
New approach improving stability and optical properties of perovskite films
Enabling perovskite LEDs longer lifetime

CITY UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG

​

a) Device structure and a corresponding cross-sectional TEM image of the multi-layer PeLEDs; b) Schematic flat-band energy diagram of the PeLED; c) Normalized photoluminescence spectrum of the CsPbBr3 film, and electroluminescence spectrum of the PeLED at an applied voltage of 5.5 V. CREDIT: City University of Hong Kong

Metal halide perovskites are regarded as next generation materials for light emitting devices (LEDs). A recent joint-research co-led by the scientist from City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has developed a new and efficient fabrication approach to produce all-inorganic perovskite films with better optical properties and stability, enabling the development of high colour-purity and low-cost perovskite LEDs with a high operational lifetime.

Perovskite LEDs (PeLEDs) are an emerging light-emitting technology with advantages of low manufacturing cost, high light quality and energy efficiency. Metal halide (meaning compounds of metals with chlorine, bromine or iodine) perovskites have recently attracted a lot of attention as promising materials for solution-processed LEDs, owing to their excellent optical properties, such as saturated emission colors and easy color tunability.

In particular, perovskites based on inorganic cesium cations, namely CsPbX3 (where X can be chlorine, bromine and iodine), exhibit better thermal and chemical stability compared to the organic-inorganic 'hybrid' metal halide perovskites, and may thus provide the base for high-performance LEDs with reasonable operational stability. But the previous inorganic PeLEDs exhibited relatively poor electro-luminescence performance due to their large perovskite grain sizes.

Now a team of researchers at CityU and at Shanghai University in mainland China has developed an efficient fabrication approach to make smooth inorganic perovskite films with substantially enhanced performance and stability. Their findings appear in the latest issue (2019, 10, 665) of the scientific journal Nature Communications, titled "Trifluoroacetate induced small-grained CsPbBr3 perovskite films result in efficient and stable light-emitting devices ".

The team has found that using cesium trifluoroacetate (TFA) as the cesium source in the one-step solution coating, instead of the commonly used cesium bromide (CsBr), enables fast crystallization of small-grained CsPbBr3 perovskite crystals, forming the smooth and pinhole-free perovskite films. This is because the interaction of TFA- anions with Pb2+ cations in the CsPbX3 precursor solution greatly improves the crystallization rate of perovskite films and suppresses surface defects.

As a result, the team has managed to make efficient and stable green PeLEDs based on these films, with a maximum current efficient of 32.0 cd A-1 corresponding to an external quantum efficiency of 10.5% - a level generally considered as satisfactory in existing PeLEDs.

More importantly, the all-inorganic perovskite LEDs based on these films demonstrated a record operational lifetime. They have a half-lifetime of over 250 hours at an initial luminance of 100 cd m-2, which is a 17 times improvement in operational lifetime compared with CsBr-derived PeLED.

"Our study suggests that the high color-purity and low-cost all-inorganic lead halide perovskite films can be developed into highly efficient and stable LEDs via a simple optimization of the grain boundaries," says Andrey Rogach, Chair Professor of Photonics Materials at CityU, who is one of the correspondence authors of the paper.

"I foresee significant application potential of such films, as they are easy to fabricate and can be easily deposited by printing to realise various optoelectronic devices," he adds.

Another correspondence author of the paper is Professor Yang Xuyong from Shanghai University. The first authors are Wang Haoran at Shanghai University and Zhang Xiaoyu, a former visiting research student at CityU, now working as a postdoc at Jilin University.



New approach improving stability and optical properties of perovskite films | EurekAlert! Science News

 

[cirr]

“再版台积电”？中芯14/12nm双箭齐发，更要一条龙吃到后段封测

DeepTech深科技

百家号　02-15　15:58

中芯国际 14 日晚间财报让全新的 12 nm 工艺技术首度亮相，15 日召开的投资人会议吸引大批关注目光，2019 年会是中芯高端工艺起飞的关键年，14 nm FinFET 工艺获客户认证将率先量产外，12 nm 紧接在后，下一代的 FinFET 工艺（N+1 FF）也会根据客户需求推出，同时，上海合资的高端工艺厂房“中芯南方”也将在今年下半迈入生产，肩负“国家队”任务的中芯，即将脱胎换骨。

中芯国际联席首席执行官赵海军表示，2019 年有很多不确定性，但也有很多机会纷至沓来，第一季营运将是全年谷底，全年的营收表现将与全球晶圆代工产业的成长性一致。

以营收展望来看，今年的半导体厂都难脱全球经济环境迟缓，以及库存调整的的冲击，但 2019 年对中芯国际很关键，并非在营运财报上“强出头”，而是要养出一副“好体质”，包括将14 / 12 nm 高端工艺推进量产，第二代 FinFET 工艺的研发，以及因应新客户、新产品的到临，全面调整客户、产品组合。

在高端工艺技术上，中芯在 2018 年已经宣布 14 nm 研发成功，日前再进一步强调第一代 FinFET 工艺 14 nm 技术已进入客户验证阶段，产品可靠度与良率已进一步提升。同时，12nm 的工艺开发也取得突破，下一代的 FinFET 工艺（N+1 FF）也会根据客户需求推出。

中芯国际联席首席执行官梁孟松指出，14nm 第一版的 Design Kit 已经送出，目前进度如期，多个案子正在进行中，而 12 nm 是 14 nm 微缩版本，Design Kit 已经准备好了，比较 12 nm 工艺与 14 nm 工艺，12 nm 在表现上功耗减少 20 % 、效能增加 10 % 、面积减少 20 %，两个工艺有部分客户重叠，预计在消费性、中端手机 AP 、 wireless connectivity 、 AI 等应用都会有需求。

针对中芯国际 14 nm 和 12 nm 工艺技术，业界认为首家客户是海思的呼声最高。

值得注意的是，梁孟松对于中芯国际的规划，颇有“再版台积电”的影子，除了全力冲刺高端工艺外，也将提供客户从前段晶圆制造，包括光罩服务、 IP 库组合，一直到后段封装、测试一条龙的服务。

（来源：中芯）

台积电的模式不但在工艺技术开发量产上，走在最前端，同时也自己有光罩厂、完整的 IP 库、以后多项后端封装服务，包括高端的 CoWoS 、低成本经济版的 InFO，以及 3D IC 技术 SoIC，尤其 SoIC 将在 2020 年导入生产，届时将带领半导体产业进入新的层次，是一款革命性新技术，CoWoS 和 InFO 也早已获得大客户苹果（Apple）、赛灵思（Xilinx）、海思等采用。

谈到“同业”（台积电）已经挺进 7 nm 量产，甚至是布局 5 nm 工艺技术，赵海军表示，非常乐见有同业一直推进摩尔定律往前，每年都有新技术诞生，对于接下来的技术规划，会依照客户需求布局。

中芯国际其实一直有自己的光罩厂，在 14 nm 的开发上，初期与外部的独立光罩公司合作开发，之后会逐渐以 in-house 生产，为了布局 14 nm，中芯 2018 年也采购一台最高端的 EMB-9000 光罩写入机台，全力冲刺高端技术。

2019 年中芯国际另一个大事，是上海高端工艺 12 寸晶圆厂房“中芯南方”将进入量产，“中芯南方”是由大基金、上海集成电路基金、中芯国际三方投资成立合资厂，专门生产 14 nm 以下的高端工艺技术，以合资方式进行，主要是可以分摊高额的研发费用。

中芯南方预计在 2019 年第二季移入机台设备，年底会开始小量生产。

在成熟工艺方面，中芯在 2019 年看好 NOR / NAND 存储、面板驱动 IC 、 CMOS Sensor、电源管理 IC 等。

赵海军分析，NOR / NAND 存储产品线受惠新客户加入，预计营收将倍数成长，指纹辨识技术会朝 underglass 技术发展，而需要采用高压工艺技术的面板驱动 IC 产品线，今年也会受惠新客户加入，一起抢占市占率，8 寸晶圆厂的需求持续热络到年底，整体客户组合会以国内、国际双向发展。

整体来看，2019 年手机产业仍会有很多商机，因为有很多新功能加入包括 BCD 工艺的 charger 应用、 CMOS 、高压 HV 、 AMOLED 驱动 IC 等。

中芯国际 2018 年第四季营收为 7.87 亿美元，毛利 1.34 亿美元，单季毛利率为 17 ％，较上季 20.5 % 减少，较前一年同期 18.9 % 减少。

展望 2019 年第一季，中芯预估营收减少 16 % ～ 18 %，毛利率介于 20 % ～ 22 ％，非公认准则的经营开支为扣除雇员花红计提数、政府项目资金、有形及无形资产的减值亏损、出售机器及设备损益以及出售生活园区资产收益影响后，将介于 2.5 亿美元 ～ 2.55 亿美元之间。

@TaiShang @Bussard Ramjet

 

[cirr]

Bitmain Unveils Its Latest Energy-Efficient Mining Chip for Bitcoin

Feb 18, 2019 4:51 PM EST

Bitmain Unveils Its Latest Energy-Efficient Mining Chip for Bitcoin

China-based mining giant Bitmain has announced a new mining rig that uses less power. The hardware mining manufacturer has launched a 7nm application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) processor dubbed the BM1397.

Beyond energy efficiency, the new mining processor promises to achieve faster performance for mining cryptocurrencies that use the SHA256 algorithm for their proof of work (PoW), including Bitcoin and its hard forks.

Like the BM1391 chip that came before it, the BM1397 will be powered by the advanced semiconductor manufacturing technology called the 7nm FinFET process, integrating more thana billion transistors and “optimized for maximum efficiency."

A statement from Bitmain on its blog reads:

"The new BM1397 chip requires lower power and can offer an energy consumption to computing ratio as low as 30J/TH. This is a 28.6 percent improvement in power efficiency in comparison with Bitmain’s previous 7nm chip, the BM1391."

Since the market crashed last year, cryptocurrency miners have been shutting down operations across the world as it has become less profitable to mine bitcoin with falling prices and fixed energy costs. Bitmain, which has had operational issues of its own, touts its BM1397 as a solution for miners who want to improve the performance of their mining operations. The new 7nm bitcoin mining processor will feature in Bitmain's soon-to-be-released Antminer mining rigs — the S1f7 and T17.

Bitmain also unveiled a mining rig for the Equihash algorithm used by privacy-centered crypto Zcash and an Ethereum-focused ASIC miner last year.

At the time, the development of ASIC miners prompted Ethereum's core developers to agree to implement a new ASIC-blocking algorithm, programmatic proof of work (ProgPoW), which restricts the mining hardware on the network.

Security lead of the Ethereum Foundation, Martin Holst Swende, had noted at the time that implementing the code change would hasten the network's eventual transition to a proof-of-stake algorithm, where ether is mined by staking coins, not by burning energy.

https://bitcoinmagazine.com/article...-latest-energy-efficient-mining-chip-bitcoin/

 

[JSCh]

Horizon Robotics Valued at $3Bn after B Round, Led by Semiconductor Giants and Top Auto OEMs

NEWS PROVIDED BY Horizon Robotics
27 Feb, 2019, 04:22 GMT

BEIJING, Feb. 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Horizon Robotics ("The Company"), a leading edge artificial intelligence computing platform, announced its Series B Financing with c. $600 million total investment at a valuation of $3Bn, jointly led by SK China, SK Hynix, and several top automotive groups and their investment vehicles. Other strategic partners and investors involved in this round include China Oceanwide Group's Oceanwide Capital, CMBC Capital, CLSA's CSOBOR Fund, and Oceanpine Capital. Existing shareholders, including Morningside Venture Capital, Hillhouse Capital, V Fund Management and Linear Venture, have also participated in the financing. The latest Series B Financing follows the $100M+ Series A Financing in late 2017 led by Intel Capital. In just over three years since inception, Horizon Robotics once again has received significant investment interest and support. As of now, two of the top three largest semiconductor giants are important shareholders of Horizon Robotics. Several top automotive groups have also invested hundreds of millions of dollars in Horizon, making the Company one of the largest investment cases in artificial intelligence for automobile companies.

Dr. Yu Kai, founder and CEO of Horizon Robotics, said: "Since its establishment more than three years ago, Horizon Robotics has devoted itself to becoming the leader in edge AI processors and computing platforms - enabling autonomous driving, smart cities, smart robotics and other AIoT devices "On the Horizon" - powering AI to make everyone's life safer and better. Presently, the concept of co-designing hardware and software for edge computing embraced by Horizon Robotics since 'Day 1' has become an important trend in the field of artificial intelligence. The key strategic partners and resources introduced in this financing round will further accelerate the pace of research & development and commercialization for us, strengthening the 'On the Horizon'ecosystem business model of supplying OEMs and Tier1s, enabling system integrators and industry solution providers, and actively participating in the evolution of autonomous driving, smart city, smart retail, smart robotics and other important fields in parallel as Horizon Robotics holds hands with its ecosystem partners. Together, we usher in the era of artificial intelligence."

Mr. Wu Zuoyi, President of SK China said, "Horizon Robotics has unparalleled technology supported by product capabilities and world-class talents. Especially in the field of AI processors and autonomous driving, we are impressed by its outstanding products and solutions. SK Group has a leading and solid foundation in the fields of 5G networking, autonomous driving and smart city. We believe that our strategic collaboration with Horizon Robotics can stimulate more innovation, promote complementarity and optimization of the industry positioning of both sides, and bring new development to the autonomous driving and telecommunication industries."

In 2017, Horizon Robotics successfully taped out and commercialized one of the world's first edge AI processors on a mass production level: "Journey" which focuses on autonomous driving, and "Sunrise" which focuses on AIoT. In 2018, Horizon Robotics converted on its first-mover advantage in technology into a steep ramp-up of its commercialization, relying on its unique combination of hardware, software, and AI processor technology for these two applications in autonomous driving and AIoT, and successfully released "Matrix" Platform for autonomous driving, and "XForce" platform for edge AI computing. Among these, "Matrix" has won the CES 2019 Innovation Award. Horizon Robotics' "Matrix" computing platform for autonomous driving has already been supplied to leading international automotive companies, marking an unprecedented commercialization showcase of edge computing technologies. By the end of 2018, Horizon Robotics also deployed "Navnet", a crowd-sourced high precision and high definition mapping and positioning solution based on "Matrix". For autonomous driving, Horizon Robotics has gradually expanded its network of top automotive Tier1s and OEMs. Partners include Audi, Bosch, Chang'an, BYD, SAIC Motor, and Guangzhou Automobile Group.

For AIoT, Horizon's "Sunrise" processor has completed over 20 design-wins during the second half of 2018, defining Horizon Robotics as one of the leading AI processor suppliers. Through deployment of AIoT solutions powered by "Sunrise", Horizon has facilitated the construction of smart cities and transportation networks in many development projects, enabling smart communities and residential buildings, supporting SK Telecom, BeLLE, Yonghui Supermarket, Longfor, and other partners as businesses integrate smart technology. Recently, Xiaomi's "Mi AI Speaker" - powered by Horizon's microphone-array voice recognition technology - was released, another milestone for Horizon's solution in the market. Horizon's edge AI processors and solutions are gradually enabling an "integrated perception awareness and multi-faceted human-machine interface."

Horizon Robotics integrates its deep expertise in "algorithm, processor design, software, and hardware." Supported by the Series B Financing, Horizon will continue to invest increasing resources in product and technology development, and expects breakthroughs in the coming year for automotive-grade processor architecture, and its third-generation processor architecture.

The financing has brought important strategic resources and new commercialization opportunities for Horizon, fueling a growing momentum in the expansion of the ecosystem around its core businesses. Going forward, Horizon will continue to conquer the "Everest" of artificial intelligence and edge computing. As Horizon advances towards this vision, it will foster new application scenarios, and grow this ecosystem together with its partners, making deeper and broader contributions in the field of artificial intelligence.



Horizon Robotics Valued at $3Bn after B Round, Led by Semiconductor Giants and Top Auto OEMs

 

[TaiShang]

Unisoc launches 5G chipset at MWC

Source: Global Times Published: 2019/2/27

Move takes company into first tier of global industry, analysts say

Unisoc displays the progress of its research and development into 5G commercial devices at the 16th China International IC Industry Application Expo in Shanghai on December 11, 2018. Photo: VCG


Top 5G vendors around the globe are racing to lock up a leading position in the coming 5G era with their new devices at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2019 in Barcelona, Spain. Amid this race, Unisoc, China's second-largest mobile chip producer, launched its independently developed 5G chipsets on Tuesday.

Unisoc's launch of its 5G technology platform Makalu and its first 5G modem Ivy510 at the MWC shows that Unisoc has entered the first tier of global 5G vendors, including Huawei, Qualcomm, Intel and Samsung, analysts said.

"As a company that has dedicated itself to the research and development of core chipsets in mobile communications, Unisoc has relatively rich industrial experience to rely on, and it can design products through a process of iteration," Xiang Ligang, an analyst of China's communications industry, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Unisoc's biggest advantage in the intense competition in the emerging 5G market lies in its understanding and knowledge of the domestic market, including its competitors and general consumer behavior in China, Xiang said.

Unisoc said the modem can be used in a wide range of 5G devices, including smartphones and Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and it plans more products under the Ivy brand based on the Makalu platform in the near future.

On the same day, US-based chip giant Intel announced that it will end its 5G technology sharing partnership with Unisoc, which was established during last year's MWC, according to a report by the Nikkei Asian Review on Tuesday.

Intel denied it had stopped the partnership because of political pressure from Washington, although the Nikkei cited unidentified sources as saying that recent trade tensions and economic rivalry between China and the US were a factor.

Despite Intel's claim that the termination of the deal was "strictly a business decision", Intel is likely to be under pressure from Washington given the US has banned government personnel from using technology provided by Chinese companies including Huawei and ZTE, Xiang said.

The end of the partnership is "a shame," but it does not necessarily mean that Unisoc can't independently develop 5G technology, Xiang said.

http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1140393.shtml

 

[qwerrty]

Unisoc launches 5G chipset at MWC

Source: Global Times Published: 2019/2/27

Move takes company into first tier of global industry, analysts say

Unisoc displays the progress of its research and development into 5G commercial devices at the 16th China International IC Industry Application Expo in Shanghai on December 11, 2018. Photo: VCG


Top 5G vendors around the globe are racing to lock up a leading position in the coming 5G era with their new devices at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2019 in Barcelona, Spain. Amid this race, Unisoc, China's second-largest mobile chip producer, launched its independently developed 5G chipsets on Tuesday.

Unisoc's launch of its 5G technology platform Makalu and its first 5G modem Ivy510 at the MWC shows that Unisoc has entered the first tier of global 5G vendors, including Huawei, Qualcomm, Intel and Samsung, analysts said.

"As a company that has dedicated itself to the research and development of core chipsets in mobile communications, Unisoc has relatively rich industrial experience to rely on, and it can design products through a process of iteration," Xiang Ligang, an analyst of China's communications industry, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Unisoc's biggest advantage in the intense competition in the emerging 5G market lies in its understanding and knowledge of the domestic market, including its competitors and general consumer behavior in China, Xiang said.

Unisoc said the modem can be used in a wide range of 5G devices, including smartphones and Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and it plans more products under the Ivy brand based on the Makalu platform in the near future.

On the same day, US-based chip giant Intel announced that it will end its 5G technology sharing partnership with Unisoc, which was established during last year's MWC, according to a report by the Nikkei Asian Review on Tuesday.

Intel denied it had stopped the partnership because of political pressure from Washington, although the Nikkei cited unidentified sources as saying that recent trade tensions and economic rivalry between China and the US were a factor.

Despite Intel's claim that the termination of the deal was "strictly a business decision", Intel is likely to be under pressure from Washington given the US has banned government personnel from using technology provided by Chinese companies including Huawei and ZTE, Xiang said.

The end of the partnership is "a shame," but it does not necessarily mean that Unisoc can't independently develop 5G technology, Xiang said.

http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1140393.shtml

looks like unisoc is the one dumping intel and go solo with their own 5g modem chip, not intel dumping them because of US gov pressure like nikkei is speculating. unisoc 5g chip that has nothing to do with intel unveiled at mwc is proof of that. that shit dont just popped out of nowhere. they must have been working on it for many years. why the hell would they want to share revenue with intel when they have their own ready for mass production

 

[TaiShang]

looks like unisoc is the one dumping intel and go solo with their own 5g modem chip, not intel dumping them because of US gov pressure like nikkei is speculating. unisoc 5g chip that has nothing to do with intel unveiled at mwc is proof of that. that shit dont just popped out of nowhere. they must have been working on it for many years. why the hell would they want to share revenue with intel when they have their own ready for mass production

Face saving, I guess. They are quite sensitive about saving face. More important than saving private Ryan. They became more so ever since world's biggest face (self-importance) became the US president.

 

[qwerrty]

Face saving, I guess. They are quite sensitive about saving face. More important than saving private Ryan. They became more so ever since world's biggest face (self-importance) became the US president.

intel is a nobody in mobile chips world. dumping 'em or get dumped by 'em doesn't hurt unisoc at all. if not for apple at war with qualcomm, i doubt you would hear much about their 5g chip in mobile tech news. those that can't make their own would automatically choose qualcomm... and now we have unisoc, mediatek, samsung and soon zte into the game too

 

[cirr]

Successful fabrication of high-quality 4" GaO single crystal

技术突破！中企成功制备4英寸氧化镓单晶

2019-02-27 17:06:43

责任编辑：吕栋

来源：观察者网

观察者网27日从中国电子科技集团有限公司获悉，近日，中国电科46所经过多年氧化镓晶体生长技术探索，通过改进热场结构、优化生长气氛和晶体生长工艺，有效解决了晶体生长过程中原料分解、多晶形成、晶体开裂等问题，采用导模法成功制备出高质量的4英寸氧化镓单晶。

据介绍，氧化镓是一种新型超宽禁带半导体材料，适用于制造高电流密度的功率器件、紫外探测器、发光二极管等。但由于氧化镓属于单斜晶系，具有高熔点、高温分解以及易开裂的特性，因此，大尺寸氧化镓单晶制备极为困难。

中国电科46所制备的氧化镓单晶的宽度接近100mm，总长度达到250mm，可加工出4英寸晶圆、3英寸晶圆和2英寸晶圆。经测试，晶体具有很好的结晶质量，将为国内相关器件的研制提供有力支撑。

 

[JSCh]

Efficient InGaN-based yellow-light-emitting diodes
Fengyi Jiang, Jianli Zhang, Longquan Xu, Jie Ding, Guangxu Wang, Xiaoming Wu, Xiaolan Wang, Chunlan Mo, Zhijue Quan, Xing Guo, Changda Zheng, Shuan Pan, and Junlin Liu


Photonics Research Vol. 7, Issue 2, pp. 144-148 (2019) https://doi.org/10.1364/PRJ.7.000144

Abstract

Realization of efficient yellow-light-emitting diodes (LEDs) has always been a challenge in solid-state lighting. Great effort has been made, but only slight advancements have occurred in the past few decades. After comprehensive work on InGaN-based yellow LEDs on Si substrate, we successfully made a breakthrough and pushed the wall-plug efficiency of 565-nm-yellow LEDs to 24.3% at 20  A/cm2 and 33.7% at 3  A/cm2. The success of yellow LEDs can be credited to the improved material quality and reduced compressive strain of InGaN quantum wells by a prestrained layer and substrate, as well as enhanced hole injection by a 3D pn junction with V-pits.

© 2019 Chinese Laser Press

Full Article | PDF Article

 

[cirr]

Huawei's chip production volume at TSMC exceeds Apple's

虽因各类问题在各国戓地区受到程度不一的打压，华为仍积极衝刺出货量，根据业内推估，华为旗下IC设计厂海思，目前投片量已经在台积电居冠，虽然金额仍输苹果，但上半年投片量已经超越苹果。

法人表示，以海思在台积电投片的规模推算，估计已占台积电营收比重的8～9％左右水准。

华为3月底将推出年度旗舰机种P30系列，并在第一季陆续启动备货需求，设备业者指出，华为旗下IC设计厂海思开始向台积电加大投片力道，总投片量单月有超过8万片（8吋加12吋）水准，第一季投片量年增幅上看两成水准，且第二季又再度追加数千片的投片量，上半年投片量甚至已经超越苹果，显示华为大抢市占率的决心。

虽2019年智慧手机市场不被看好，但华为已在内部订下目标，将大抢市占率，海思已经向晶圆代工合作伙伴提出加大投片量需求，且上半年规划的投片量已经超越苹果。

据设备业者指出，由于华为已经订定2019年手机出货量要达到2.5～2.6亿部水准，因此旗下IC设计厂海思已经向晶圆代工合作伙伴台积电加大晶圆投片量，预估8吋及12吋晶圆投片量已经达到单月8万片水准，且由于先前台积电光阻剂事件，海思为了补足出货量，已经向台积电追加第二季订单，追加订单达到数千片规模。

不过若以投片晶圆单价来计算，苹果依旧是台积电的最大客户。

法人解释，由于海思产品线眾多，举凡手机晶片、机上盒晶片、电视晶片等都是海思向台积电下单的产品，至于苹果则以高单价的手机晶片为主，且现在苹果又主要以当前最先进量产中的7奈米制程为主力，因此论投片金额，苹果仍是台积电的最大客户。

据了解，华为将于2019年3月底推出新一代旗舰手机P30／P30 Pro，预计将分别导入6.1吋及6.5吋OLED萤幕。

至于华为主攻平价市场的子品牌荣耀近期也传出将可望推出新机荣耀20，两者已经开始向供应链陆续启动拉货需求。

除此之外，随着台积电即将于2019年第三季起将开始放量生产EUV技术的7+奈米制程，供应链预料，海思届时将可望是独家採用7+奈米的独家厂商，苹果下半年的A13处理器将以加强版7奈米制程进行量产，代表海思在台积电的地位将会越趋重要。

@TaiShang

 

[TaiShang]

Huawei's chip production volume at TSMC exceeds Apple's

虽因各类问题在各国戓地区受到程度不一的打压，华为仍积极衝刺出货量，根据业内推估，华为旗下IC设计厂海思，目前投片量已经在台积电居冠，虽然金额仍输苹果，但上半年投片量已经超越苹果。

法人表示，以海思在台积电投片的规模推算，估计已占台积电营收比重的8～9％左右水准。

华为3月底将推出年度旗舰机种P30系列，并在第一季陆续启动备货需求，设备业者指出，华为旗下IC设计厂海思开始向台积电加大投片力道，总投片量单月有超过8万片（8吋加12吋）水准，第一季投片量年增幅上看两成水准，且第二季又再度追加数千片的投片量，上半年投片量甚至已经超越苹果，显示华为大抢市占率的决心。

虽2019年智慧手机市场不被看好，但华为已在内部订下目标，将大抢市占率，海思已经向晶圆代工合作伙伴提出加大投片量需求，且上半年规划的投片量已经超越苹果。

据设备业者指出，由于华为已经订定2019年手机出货量要达到2.5～2.6亿部水准，因此旗下IC设计厂海思已经向晶圆代工合作伙伴台积电加大晶圆投片量，预估8吋及12吋晶圆投片量已经达到单月8万片水准，且由于先前台积电光阻剂事件，海思为了补足出货量，已经向台积电追加第二季订单，追加订单达到数千片规模。

不过若以投片晶圆单价来计算，苹果依旧是台积电的最大客户。

法人解释，由于海思产品线眾多，举凡手机晶片、机上盒晶片、电视晶片等都是海思向台积电下单的产品，至于苹果则以高单价的手机晶片为主，且现在苹果又主要以当前最先进量产中的7奈米制程为主力，因此论投片金额，苹果仍是台积电的最大客户。

据了解，华为将于2019年3月底推出新一代旗舰手机P30／P30 Pro，预计将分别导入6.1吋及6.5吋OLED萤幕。

至于华为主攻平价市场的子品牌荣耀近期也传出将可望推出新机荣耀20，两者已经开始向供应链陆续启动拉货需求。

除此之外，随着台积电即将于2019年第三季起将开始放量生产EUV技术的7+奈米制程，供应链预料，海思届时将可望是独家採用7+奈米的独家厂商，苹果下半年的A13处理器将以加强版7奈米制程进行量产，代表海思在台积电的地位将会越趋重要。

View attachment 545168

@TaiShang

Looks like greater market share for Huawei this year.

Also, good to have TSMC to be more dependent on Huawei than on Apple.

 

[JSCh]

Semimetals are High Conductors

The Weyl semimetal state is induced when the opposing motions of the electrons cause the Dirac cones to split in two (illustrated on the left by outward facing electrons, opposite the inward facing electrons on the right). The abnormal state enables greater electrical flow with minimal resistance. (Image credit: ORNL/Jill Hemman)

March 18, 2019
Posted by Becky Oskin

Researchers in China and at UC Davis have measured high conductivity in very thin layers of niobium arsenide, a type of material called a Weyl semimetal. The material has about three times the conductivity of copper at room temperature, said Sergey Savrasov, professor of physics in the UC Davis College of Letters and Science. Savrasov is a coauthor on the paper published March 18 in Nature Materials.

New materials that conduct electricity are of great interest to physicists and materials scientists, both for basic research and because they could lead to new types of electronic devices.

Savrasov works on theoretical condensed matter physics. With others, he proposed the existence of Weyl semimetals in 2011. The Chinese team were able to fabricate and test small pieces, called nanobelts, of niobium arsenide, confirming the predictions of theory. The nanobelts are so thin they are essentially two-dimensional.

“A Weyl semimetal is not a conductor or an insulator, but something in between,” Savrasov said. Niobium arsenide, for example, is a poor conductor in bulk but has a metallic surface that conducts electricity. The surface is topologically protected, meaning that it cannot be changed without destroying the bulk material.

With most materials, surfaces can be chemically altered as they pick up impurities from the environment. These impurities can interfere with conductivity. But topologically protected surfaces reject these impurities.

“In theory we expect Weyl surfaces to be good conductors as they don’t tolerate impurities,” Savrasov said.

If you think of electrons flowing through material, imagine them bouncing off or scattering from impurities. At the quantum level, a conductive material has a Fermi surface which describes all the quantum energy states that electrons can occupy. This Fermi surface affects conductivity of the material.

The nanobelts tested in these experiments had a limited Fermi surface or Fermi arc, meaning that electrons could only be scattered to a limited range of quantum states.

“The Fermi arc limits the states electrons can bounce back to, therefore they are not scattered,” Savrasov said.

Materials that are highly conductive at very small scales could be useful as engineers strive to build smaller and smaller circuits. Less electrical resistance means that less heat is generated as current passes through.

Coauthors on the paper are Cheng Zhang, Zhuoliang Ni, Jinglei Zhang, Xiang Yuan, Yanwen Liu, Yichao Zou, Zhiming Liao, Yongping Du, Awadhesh Narayan, Hongming Zhang, Tiancheng Gu, Xuesong Zhu, Li Pi, Stefano Sanvito, Xiaodong Han, Jin Zou, and Faxian Xiu. The research institutions represented include Fudan University, Shanghai; Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei; Nanjing University of Science and Technology and Nanjing University, Nanjing; Beijing University of Technology; the University of Queensland, Australia; ETH Zurich, Switzerland; and Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. Funding support came from the National Natural Science Foundation of China and other Chinese government agencies; U.S. National Science Foundation; the Australian Research Council; and Science Foundation Ireland.


Semimetals are High Conductors | UC Davis College of Letters and Science

Cheng Zhang, Zhuoliang Ni, Jinglei Zhang, Xiang Yuan, Yanwen Liu, Yichao Zou, Zhiming Liao, Yongping Du, Awadhesh Narayan, Hongming Zhang, Tiancheng Gu, Xuesong Zhu, Li Pi, Stefano Sanvito, Xiaodong Han, Jin Zou, Yi Shi, Xiangang Wan, Sergey Y. Savrasov, Faxian Xiu. Ultrahigh conductivity in Weyl semimetal NbAs nanobelts. Nature Materials, March 18, 2019; DOI: 10.1038/s41563-019-0320-9​