Chisato · · 4 min read Wafer-Scale Integration Explained
Wafer-scale integration builds one giant chip from an entire silicon wafer instead of cutting it into dies. How it works and its tradeoffs.
#Hardware
#Chips
#Semiconductors
Topic
#Semiconductors
82 posts tagged “Semiconductors”.
Chisato · · 4 min read 
Chisato · · 4 min read What Is HBM? High Bandwidth Memory Explained
HBM stacks DRAM dies vertically and connects them through a wide interface, trading capacity per chip for far higher bandwidth than standard DRAM.
#Hardware
#Semiconductors
#Computer Science
Chisato · · 4 min read What Is Dennard Scaling? Why Clock Speeds Stopped Climbing
Dennard scaling held that shrinking transistors kept power density constant, letting clock speeds rise for free. Its breakdown reshaped chip design.
#Hardware
#Semiconductors
#Computer Science
Kurumi · · 6 min read Korea Chip Exports Hit Record in August, Up 209%
South Korea's chip exports jumped 209% in August 2026 to a record $46.65B — nearly half of all exports — as hyperscaler AI spending drove demand.
#Markets
#Semiconductors
#Memory
Chisato · · 6 min read US Moves to Block China's Remote AI Chip Access
The Commerce Department is drafting a rule to stop Chinese firms from renting banned Nvidia AI compute through data centers in third countries.
#AI
#Semiconductors
#Nvidia
Chisato · · 4 min read What Is Semiconductor Yield?
Yield is the share of chips on a wafer that work. It's the single biggest driver of chip cost, and why new process nodes start out expensive.
#Hardware
#Semiconductors
#Chips
Kurumi · · 5 min read Marvell Q2 Earnings: Record $2.74B, Raised Guidance
Marvell posted record Q2 FY2027 revenue of $2.74B on a 46% data center surge, raised its outlook again, and guided Q3 to $3.15B. The numbers and what they mean.
#Markets
#Earnings
#Semiconductors
Kurumi · · 5 min read Nvidia AI Server Prices to Rise 15%+ on Memory Costs
Nvidia's server builders have told Microsoft, Google and Oracle that Vera Rubin and Grace Blackwell system prices will climb more than 15% from early 2027 as memory costs soar.
#Markets
#Semiconductors
#Nvidia
Chisato · · 5 min read 2.5D vs 3D Chip Packaging Explained
2.5D packaging places dies side by side on an interposer; 3D packaging stacks dies vertically through silicon vias. How advanced packaging works.
#Hardware
#Semiconductors
#Chips
Chisato · · 5 min read Samsung LPDDR5X-PIM: In-Memory Compute for AI
Samsung detailed LPDDR5X-PIM at Hot Chips 2026 — a drop-in DRAM that runs AI math inside memory, claiming roughly 3x token throughput and 8x PIM bandwidth.
#Samsung
#Semiconductors
#Memory
Chisato · · 6 min read Nvidia Groq 3 LPX: $20B Inference Chip Goes Live
Nvidia's Groq 3 LPX inference chip is in full production and comes online in 2026, extending Vera Rubin for agentic AI. The specs, the deal, the stakes.
#Nvidia
#Semiconductors
#AI
Chisato · · 4 min read How Computer Chips Are Made: Wafer to Package
Chip fabrication turns a silicon wafer into a working processor through photolithography, etching, doping, and packaging — here's the full process.
#Hardware
#Semiconductors
#Chips
Kurumi · · 6 min read Nvidia Q2 Earnings: $96B Revenue, $108B Guidance
Nvidia reported $96.2B in Q2 FY2027 revenue, up 106%, guided Q3 to $108B, and Jensen Huang forecast roughly 70% growth next year. Here are the numbers and what they mean.
#Nvidia
#Earnings
#Semiconductors
Chisato · · 6 min read OpenAI Jalapeño Chip: Benchmarks vs Nvidia Explained
OpenAI and Broadcom published first benchmarks for Jalapeño, an inference-only ASIC that claims up to 1.9x throughput per watt over Nvidia's GB300. What it means.
#AI
#Semiconductors
#OpenAI
Chisato · · 4 min read ASIC vs FPGA: Choosing Custom Silicon
An ASIC is fixed-function silicon built for one job at massive scale; an FPGA is reconfigurable hardware you can rewire after it ships. How to choose.
#Hardware
#Chips
#Semiconductors
Chisato · · 5 min read Infineon Buys C2i for AI Data Center Power Chips
Infineon is acquiring Bengaluru startup C2i Semiconductors to strengthen digital power delivery for AI data centers, with the deal expected to close in Q3 2026.
#Semiconductors
#AI
#Infineon
Chisato · · 4 min read What Is Silicon Photonics? Optical Chips Explained
Silicon photonics moves data with light instead of electrical signals on standard chip manufacturing lines. How it works and why AI data centers need it.
#Hardware
#Chips
#Semiconductors
Kurumi · · 6 min read Chip Stocks Brace for Nvidia Earnings, Jackson Hole
Semiconductor stocks enter a decisive week caught between a 19-year high in long-term yields and rate-cut hopes, with Nvidia's report Wednesday the main event.
#Markets
#Semiconductors
#Nvidia
Chisato · · 4 min read Chip Binning Explained: Why One Die Design Sells as Many SKUs
Binning sorts identical die designs by how well each one actually performs after manufacturing, turning natural process variation into a full product lineup.
#Hardware
#Semiconductors
#Chips
Kurumi · · 6 min read Japan Adds $944M for Rapidus in 2nm Chip Race
Japan's METI is seeking ¥150 billion ($944M) more for chipmaker Rapidus in its FY2027 budget, backing a long-shot bid for 2nm mass production by 2027.
#Semiconductors
#Japan
#Markets
Kurumi · · 5 min read Etched Raises $700M at $21B Valuation From Jane Street
Etched raised $700M led by Jane Street at a $21B valuation, doubling in a month, and shipped its first Sohu inference rack. The deal and the risks.
#Semiconductors
#AI
#Markets
Kurumi · · 7 min read Google, Marvell Sign $12.2B Custom AI Chip Warrant
Marvell gave Google a warrant for up to $12.2B in shares tied to custom AI chip sales through fiscal 2033. The deal, the vesting, and the read-across to Broadcom.
#Markets
#Semiconductors
#AI
Kurumi · · 6 min read Samsung Foundry Price Hike: Up to 15% on AI Demand
Samsung raised advanced contract chip prices by up to 15% as AI demand fills its 4nm and 5nm lines. Chinese customers face the steepest hikes. What it means.
#Semiconductors
#Markets
#Samsung
Kurumi · · 6 min read Why Chip Stocks Fell Aug 18: Bond Yield Rout Explained
Semiconductors led a broad selloff on August 18, 2026 as the 30-year Treasury yield hit a 19-year high and AI valuation worries resurfaced. Here's why.
#Markets
#Semiconductors
#AI
Chisato · · 4 min read CUDA Cores vs Tensor Cores: What's the Difference?
CUDA cores handle general parallel math on an NVIDIA GPU; Tensor cores are specialized units built for the matrix multiplies AI models run constantly.
#Hardware
#AI
#Semiconductors
Chisato · · 4 min read What Is UCIe? The Open Standard for Chiplet Interconnects
UCIe is an open standard for wiring chiplets from different vendors into one package, defining the physical layer, protocols, and packaging it needs.
#Hardware
#Semiconductors
#Chips
Kurumi · · 6 min read Nvidia Q2 FY2027 Earnings Preview: What to Watch
Nvidia reports Q2 fiscal 2027 results on August 26. The Street sees roughly $93–95B in revenue against $91B guidance. Here's what matters for the AI trade.
#Markets
#Nvidia
#Semiconductors
Kurumi · · 5 min read SMIC Q2 2026 Earnings: Profit Jumps 262%, Stock Rises
SMIC's Q2 profit surged 262% to $479M as revenue rose 36% and margins expanded, sending the Chinese foundry's Hong Kong shares up as much as 6.4%.
#Markets
#Semiconductors
#China
Kurumi · · 5 min read Applied Materials Q3 2026 Earnings: Record Revenue Beat
Applied Materials posted a record $9.12B in Q3 revenue, up 25%, and guided Q4 to $10.25B as AI chip demand lifts its 2026 equipment outlook above 30%.
#Markets
#Semiconductors
#Earnings
Kurumi · · 5 min read Samsung, SK Hynix Rally as KOSPI Chip Rebound Builds
The KOSPI jumped 3.7% as Samsung rose 6.7% and SK Hynix 5.5%, powered by a Temasek investment report, shareholder-return hopes and fading AI capex fears.
#Markets
#Semiconductors
#Memory
Chisato · · 7 min read Microsoft Maia 300: TSMC Order and Nvidia Challenge
Microsoft is in talks with TSMC to build 300,000+ Maia 300 AI chips, aiming for over 1 million units to cut its reliance on Nvidia. The plan and what it means.
#Microsoft
#Semiconductors
#AI
Kurumi · · 6 min read TSMC July 2026 Revenue: Record NT$467.58B, Up 44.7%
TSMC reported record July revenue of NT$467.58 billion, up 44.7% year over year on AI chip demand. The numbers, the raised guidance, and what to watch.
#Markets
#Semiconductors
#TSMC
Kurumi · · 4 min read Intel's $15 Billion Stock Offering: What to Know
Intel plans to raise $15B in a common-stock sale to fund AI silicon, advanced packaging and foundry expansion. The details, dilution math, and what to watch.
#Markets
#Intel
#Semiconductors
Chisato · · 6 min read AMD Buys Taalas: AI Models Etched Into Silicon
AMD is acquiring Taalas, a Toronto startup that hardwires AI model weights into custom chips for far faster inference. What the deal means for the Nvidia race.
#AI
#Semiconductors
#AMD
Chisato · · 5 min read What Is Simultaneous Multithreading (SMT)?
Simultaneous multithreading lets one physical CPU core run two instruction streams at once, filling idle execution units to raise throughput.
#Hardware
#Semiconductors
#Computer Science
Kurumi · · 6 min read Astera Labs Q2 2026 Earnings: Revenue, Scorpio, Guidance
Astera Labs posted record Q2 2026 revenue of $392.4M, up 104%, and guided Q3 far above estimates as Scorpio fabric switches ramp early. The numbers that matter.
#Markets
#Earnings
#Semiconductors
Kurumi · · 6 min read Terafab: Tesla and SpaceX's $16.8B Texas Chip Fab
Tesla and SpaceX confirmed Terafab, a $16.8B first-phase chip fab in Grimes County, Texas, with plans to reach 1 terawatt of compute a year. The details.
#Semiconductors
#Tesla
#SpaceX
Kurumi · · 4 min read CXMT DRAM in PCs: HP, Asus, Acer Turn to China Memory
Facing an AI-driven DRAM shortage, HP, Asus and Acer have begun using China's CXMT memory in some notebooks. Why the memory crunch is reshaping the PC supply chain.
#Semiconductors
#China
#Memory
Chisato · · 5 min read High Bandwidth Flash: First HBF Standard Released
Sandisk and SK hynix published the first OCP technical spec for High Bandwidth Flash, a stacked-NAND memory aimed at the AI inference capacity wall.
#Semiconductors
#Memory
#AI
Kurumi · · 6 min read AMD Q2 2026 Earnings: Record Sales, Shares Slide
AMD posted record Q2 2026 revenue of $11.5B as data center sales more than doubled, and guided Q3 above estimates — yet the stock fell. The full breakdown.
#Markets
#Semiconductors
#AMD
Kurumi · · 5 min read AMD Q2 2026 Earnings Preview: Revenue, MI450, Guidance
AMD reports Q2 2026 results on August 4. Analysts expect about $11.3B in revenue and $1.61 EPS, with the data center and MI450 ramp in focus. What to watch.
#Markets
#Semiconductors
#AMD
Kurumi · · 5 min read Korea July Exports Jump 63% on Record Chip Shipments
South Korea's July exports rose 62.8% to $98.89B, the second-highest ever, as chip shipments jumped 179% on AI memory demand, trade ministry data showed.
#Markets
#Semiconductors
#Memory
Kurumi · · 5 min read Qualcomm Chip Price Hike: What It Means for Phones
Qualcomm will raise Snapdragon chip prices by double digits on Sept. 1, 2026, blaming a memory cost surge. Here's the earnings context and the hit to phone buyers.
#Semiconductors
#Markets
#Earnings
Kurumi · · 5 min read TSMC EMIB-Like Packaging: A CoWoS Alternative
TSMC is developing silicon-bridge packaging similar to Intel's EMIB with Kinsus, an alternative to sold-out CoWoS. Intel and AMD stocks jumped on the report.
#Semiconductors
#TSMC
#Intel
Kurumi · · 5 min read Chip Stocks Rally as SOX Jumps 8% on Memory Rebound
Semiconductor stocks staged their biggest rally in 15 months on July 30, 2026 as Micron, AMD and Lam Research surged after Microsoft's cloud beat. Why.
#Markets
#Semiconductors
#AI
Kurumi · · 6 min read AI Memory Boom Goes Bust as KOSPI Crashes
South Korea's KOSPI triggered back-to-back circuit breakers and memory names shed 30% as the AI memory trade unwound — even with record earnings and rising prices.
#Markets
#Semiconductors
#Memory
Chisato · · 4 min read What Is an ASIC? Application-Specific Chips Explained
An ASIC is a chip custom-built for one task, trading flexibility for speed and power efficiency. How ASICs differ from GPUs and FPGAs, and when to use one.
#Hardware
#Chips
#Semiconductors
Chisato · · 4 min read China Starts DUV Lithography Mass Production
China has begun limited mass production of home-grown immersion DUV lithography machines, with first units bound for SMIC, Hua Hong and CXMT. What it changes.
#Semiconductors
#China
#Hardware
Kurumi · · 5 min read Nasdaq Correction: AI Memory Rout Hits Chip Stocks
The Nasdaq 100 entered correction on July 28, 2026 as an AI memory selloff sent Kospi into a circuit breaker and Micron, SK Hynix and Nvidia lower. Here's why.
#Markets
#Semiconductors
#AI
Kurumi · · 4 min read CXMT IPO: China Memory Chipmaker Soars 470% on Debut
ChangXin Memory (CXMT) raised $8.6B in Asia's biggest IPO of 2026, then jumped ~470% on its Shanghai STAR Market debut. What the listing means for global DRAM.
#Markets
#Semiconductors
#China
Kurumi · · 6 min read Chip Stocks Sell Off Again Ahead of Big Tech Earnings
Chip stocks fell again July 27 as the SOX slid about 4% and money rotated into the Dow — a peak-cycle test right before Big Tech's earnings week.
#Markets
#Semiconductors
#AI
Kurumi · · 6 min read Nvidia-Amkor $1.5B Deal: US Chip Packaging Buildout
Nvidia is prepaying Amkor $1.5 billion to expand advanced chip packaging in Arizona, building a second CoWoS source outside TSMC. The deal and what's next.
#Semiconductors
#Nvidia
#Markets
Kurumi · · 5 min read MetaX Files for Hong Kong IPO in China GPU Race
Chinese GPU designer MetaX has confidentially filed for a Hong Kong IPO, targeting a listing by end-2026 after a 693% Shanghai debut. The details and the anti-Nvidia push.
#Semiconductors
#Markets
#China
Kurumi · · 6 min read Intel Q2 2026 Earnings: Revenue Up 25%, Stock Pops
Intel Q2 2026 revenue rose 25% to $16.1B and shares jumped ~13%. Data Center grew 59%, foundry 31%, but a CHIPS-tied charge drove an $11B GAAP loss.
#Intel
#Earnings
#Semiconductors
Kurumi · · 6 min read Intel Q2 2026 Earnings Preview: What to Watch
Intel reports Q2 2026 earnings July 23 after a 163% YTD run. Consensus is $14.4B revenue and $0.22 EPS. What to watch on 18A foundry, margins, and guidance.
#Intel
#Earnings
#Semiconductors
Kurumi · · 6 min read CuspAI Raises $450M for AI Materials Discovery
CuspAI raised $450M at a $2.6B valuation to launch an AI Materials Foundry, backed by Kleiner Perkins, NEA, Bezos Expeditions and AMD Ventures. Here's the bet.
#AI
#Markets
#Semiconductors
Kurumi · · 5 min read Etched $20B Valuation: The AI Chip Bet on Nvidia
Etched is reportedly raising at a $20 billion valuation, quadrupling its price in weeks, on a chip hardwired for transformers. Here's the deal and the risk.
#Semiconductors
#AI
#Markets
Kurumi · · 6 min read TSMC Arizona Expansion: $100B More, $265B Total
TSMC will invest another $100 billion in Arizona, adding four fabs and pushing its total US commitment to $265 billion. The plan, the numbers, and what to watch.
#Semiconductors
#TSMC
#Markets
Chisato · · 4 min read Huawei Atlas 950 SuperPoD: 8,192 Ascend Chips, Q4 2026
Huawei showed its Atlas 950 SuperPoD at WAIC 2026, claiming 6.7x the compute of Nvidia's NVL144 by wiring thousands of Ascend chips into one machine. Here's the reality.
#Semiconductors
#AI
#China
Kurumi · · 5 min read Intel Ships First High-Volume High-NA EUV Chips
Intel is the first to mass-produce logic chips on ASML's High-NA EUV, dual-qualifying select 18A Panther Lake layers. Here's what shipped and why it matters.
#Semiconductors
#Intel
#ASML
Kurumi · · 6 min read Chip Stocks Fall Despite TSMC's Blowout Quarter
Semiconductor stocks sank on July 16, 2026 even after TSMC crushed estimates. SK Hynix fell 11%, Arm slid 5%. Why good news triggered a selloff, and what to watch.
#Markets
#Semiconductors
#AI
Kurumi · · 15 min read TSMC Q2 2026 Earnings: Record Profit, Capex Raised
TSMC posted $40.2B in Q2 revenue and a 77% jump in net profit on AI chip demand, then raised its 2026 capex to $60–64B. The numbers and what to watch.
#Markets
#Semiconductors
#TSMC
Chisato · · 4 min read What Is EUV Lithography? Chipmaking's Key Process Explained
EUV lithography uses 13.5nm-wavelength light to etch the finest features on modern chips. How it works and why it's a chokepoint in chip manufacturing.
#Hardware
#Semiconductors
#Manufacturing
Kurumi · · 12 min read ASML Q2 2026 Earnings: Sales Beat, Guidance Raised
ASML posted €9.3B in Q2 net sales and lifted its full-year outlook to €43–45B on strong AI chip demand. Here are the numbers and what to watch next.
#Markets
#Semiconductors
#ASML
Chisato · · 5 min read US Expands AI Chip Licenses: AMD Joins China Trade
New export licenses let ZTE and a Kingsoft unit buy Nvidia H200 and, for the first time, AMD AI chips. AMD jumped 6%. The details and what it means.
#AI
#Semiconductors
#AMD
Kurumi · · 6 min read SK hynix Stock Drops 15% on HBM4 Delay, DDR5 Pivot
SK hynix fell a record 15% on July 13 after signaling it will slow its HBM4 ramp to chase DDR5 margins, reviving fears the AI memory boom is peaking.
#Markets
#Semiconductors
#HBM
Kurumi · · 5 min read Intel's €5B Ireland Fab Expansion: What to Know
Intel is investing €5 billion ($5.7B) to expand its Leixlip, Ireland campus, scaling Intel 3 production of Xeon 6 chips for AI demand. Here's the plan and why it matters.
#Semiconductors
#Intel
#Markets
Kurumi · · 10 min read TSMC Q2 2026 Earnings Preview: 68% June Revenue Jump
TSMC's June revenue jumped about 68% year over year on AI chip demand, setting up its July 16 Q2 report. Here are the numbers and what to watch.
#Markets
#Semiconductors
#TSMC
Chisato · · 5 min read What Is a Chiplet? Modular Chip Design Explained
A chiplet is a small, self-contained die that's packaged together with others to form one chip. How chiplets work and why the industry moved to them.
#Hardware
#Semiconductors
#Performance
Chisato · · 6 min read SambaNova Raises $1B at $11B, Lands JPMorgan
AI chipmaker SambaNova closed the first tranche of a $1B Series F at an $11B valuation and named JPMorgan Chase as an on-prem inference customer. The details.
#AI
#Semiconductors
#Chips
Chisato · · 5 min read Meta Iris AI Chip Enters Production in September
Meta will start manufacturing its in-house Iris AI accelerator in September, part of a plan to double compute to 14 gigawatts by 2027. The plan and why it matters.
#Meta
#Semiconductors
#AI
Chisato · · 6 min read China H200 Approval: Nvidia Chips for AI Firms
China is preparing to let Alibaba, ByteDance, and DeepSeek buy Nvidia's H200 — but capped under 200,000 chips. The reversal, the conditions, and what it means.
#AI
#Semiconductors
#Nvidia
Kurumi · · 5 min read Micron's $3B US Chip Investment: What to Know
Micron will invest up to $3 billion to strengthen the US chip supply chain, anchored by a GlobalWafers deal. Shares jumped 7%. Here's the plan and why it matters.
#Markets
#Semiconductors
#Micron
Kurumi · · 6 min read Bain Capital Exits Kioxia With a Record Chip Profit
Bain Capital sold its final Kioxia stake, ending an $18B bet that returned roughly $15B as AI storage demand sent the shares up more than 4,500%.
#Markets
#Semiconductors
#Private Equity
Kurumi · · 6 min read SK hynix Nasdaq Listing: $29B ADR Debut Explained
SK hynix debuts on Nasdaq under SKHY in a ~$29B ADR offering, the largest-ever US listing by a foreign firm. The figures, the HBM context, and what to watch.
#Markets
#Semiconductors
#IPO
Chisato · · 5 min read DeepSeek AI Chip: Why Nvidia Stock Slipped
China's DeepSeek is reportedly designing its own AI inference chip to cut reliance on Nvidia and Huawei. Here's what's confirmed and why Nvidia shares fell.
#AI
#Semiconductors
#Nvidia
Kurumi · · 5 min read Nvidia Kyber Delay: What the 2028 Rack Slip Means
SemiAnalysis says Nvidia's Kyber NVL144 rack slipped to 2028 on a PCB midplane snag. Nvidia calls its roadmap 'intact.' Here's the report, the denial, and the stakes.
#Semiconductors
#Nvidia
#Markets
Kurumi · · 10 min read Samsung's Record Profit Sparks a Chip Stock Selloff
Samsung posted record Q2 operating profit up nearly 19x, yet chip stocks fell as Micron, Intel and AMD dropped on AI-demand and memory-price fears. What happened.
#Markets
#Semiconductors
#Earnings
Kurumi · · 5 min read Nvidia Stock Lags the 2026 Chip Rally: Why
Nvidia is up just 3.2% in 2026 while Micron gained 304% and AMD 171%. Custom ASICs and memory are leading the chip rally instead. Here's what changed and what to watch.
#Markets
#Semiconductors
#NVIDIA
Kurumi · · 12 min read Samsung Q2 2026 Earnings: Record Profit on AI Memory
Samsung posted a record 89.4 trillion won Q2 operating profit, up 19-fold, as AI memory and HBM demand made it tech's most profitable quarter.
#Markets
#Semiconductors
#Samsung
Kurumi · · 6 min read Anthropic in Talks With Samsung for Custom AI Chip
Anthropic is reportedly in early talks with Samsung to build its own AI chip on a 2nm process — a bid to control cost and supply in the compute race.
#AI
#Anthropic
#Semiconductors
Kurumi · · 4 min read Chip Stocks Sell Off: What Sparked the July 2026 Rout
AI chip stocks tumbled in early July 2026 as the SOX fell 6.7% and Korea's Kospi plunged 7.9%. Here's what triggered the sell-off and what to watch next.
#Markets
#Semiconductors
#AI