Semiecosystem

By Mark LaPedus Two companies, AMD and Qualcomm, have separately introduced new memory packaging technologies that address the bandwidth bottleneck issues in today’s systems. In one announcement, AMD has introduced its Versal Premium Gen 2 Memory on Package (MoP) line. Designed for industrial applications, AMD’s new MoP offering incorporates DRAM and a system-on-a-chip (SoC) all in the same package.

By Mark LaPedus Intel has broken ground on a new photomask manufacturing facility in Santa Clara, Calif. The new facility will expand Intel’s existing photomask manufacturing operations at the Bowers Campus in Santa Clara. For several years, the company’s internal mask-making unit--Intel Mask Operations (IMO)--has been producing masks at the Bowers Campus. IMO’s new facility at the Bowers Campus is expected to be a 107,000-square-foot operation.

By Mark LaPedus IBM has unveiled a sub-1nm chip technology, featuring a new transistor architecture at the 0.7nm or 7 angstrom node. IBM’s chip technology is based on the company’s new “nanostack” transistor architecture. Nanostack is a 3D-like technology, which represents a new and different way to scale semiconductor devices in the future. But don’t expect nanostack-based chips anytime soon.

By Mark LaPedus For some time, the United States and China have been vying for the leadership position in several technical areas. Those segments include AI, computing, communications, defense, robotics, self-driving cars, space exploration and others. The U.S. is leading in many areas, but China is gaining ground in others. This should set off some alarm bells in the West: China is suddenly leading the supercomputer race. Supercomputers are large and powerful general-purpose systems.

By Mark LaPedus Teledyne MEMS, a MEMS foundry vendor, is expanding its manufacturing operations in Canada with funding from the Government of Alberta. The expansion will enhance Teledyne MEMS’ advanced manufacturing capabilities in Edmonton, the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. The investment is backed by a CA$620,000 (US$435,674) grant from the province’s Investment and Growth Fund.

By Mark LaPedus Quantum Computing Inc. (QCi), a quantum optics and photonics company, has acquired NHanced Semiconductors, a U.S-based advanced packaging vendor. Under the terms, QCi has acquired NHanced for $73.1 million in cash and stock, subject to customary adjustments, and up to an additional $72.0 million if certain performance targets are achieved.

By Mark LaPedus Nearfield Instruments, a supplier of metrology equipment, has closed a $380 million Series-D funding round. This latest round of funding was led by a new investor Fidelity Management & Research, along with Temasek, Walden Catalyst Ventures, Innovation Industries, M&G Investments and Invest-NL. Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) participated in this round as a new investor. Other existing investors, TNO Ventures and ING, also contributed to the round.

By Mark LaPedus AMD this week acquired MEXT, a startup that is developing AI-driven memory optimization technology. The deal will bring new capabilities to AMD, a processor supplier based in Santa Clara, Calif. Founded in 2023, MEXT recently released its first product, dubbed Predictive Memory. MEXT’s technology is a software-only solution that makes flash appear as DRAM to the operating system. It addresses a major problem in today’s systems--DRAM.

By Mark LaPedus Intel has reorganized its foundry unit and appointed a new executive to lead its efforts in the advanced packaging business. Seok-Hee Lee, formerly president and chief executive of SK On, has been appointed as executive vice president of Intel Foundry, reporting directly to CEO Lip-Bu Tan. In this role, Lee will lead all advanced packaging, system integration, back-end technology development and back-end manufacturing at Intel Foundry.

By Mark LaPedus SandboxAQ, a supplier of platforms for materials discovery applications, has received government funding to accelerate the development of its technology. The U.S. Department of Commerce’s CHIPS Research & Development Office signed a definitive agreement with SandboxAQ for a $500 million award under the CHIPS and Science Act. In connection with the award, the U.S. government will receive a minority, non-controlling equity stake in SandboxAQ, a Palo Alto, Calif.-based startup.