Latest Semiconductor News Released on August 6 to 12, 2023

Allegro MicroSystems to acquire Crocus Technology for $420 million

Allegro MicroSystems, Inc. announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Crocus Technology for $420 million in cash.

Crocus is a milpitas-based sensor technology company and a leader in advanced tunneling magnetoresistive ("TMR") sensor technology. The acquisition brings unique technologies and products ideally suited to serve high-growth applications in electric vehicles, clean energy and automation, backed by more than 200 patents. The magnetic sensing market is expected to grow to over $5 billion by 2030, with TMR being the fastest growing segment.. Automotive and industrial applications are expected to drive TMR's projected CAGR of 30%, which will significantly drive the growth of TMR. outpaced the growth of the overall magnetic sensing market.

CoWoS continues to be in short supply

In 2023, with the AI wave exploded, high-speed computing led by AI will also become the mainstream of TSMC's revenue. According to this year's Q1, TSMC's high-speed computing business revenue accounted for 44%, surpassing 34% of smartphones. The GPU chips required for AI also drive the demand for advanced packaging. In response to the shortage of CoWoS advanced packaging production capacity, TSMC will spend 90 billion yuan to build a new packaging plant in Tongluo, Miaoli. It is estimated that CoWoS production capacity will increase by 1 times, but the shortage of supply will not ease until the end of 2024.

Spain to build the first domestic commercial chip manufacturing plant

Spain is set to build its first commercial chip manufacturing plant, according to Carlos Pardo, co-founder and chief executive of Spanish optoelectronics manufacturer KDPOF. It is said to be financed by EU funding set up to build the digital independence of the European region. The KDPOF case is just one of many initiatives being funded by governments around the world, including the EU, to achieve regional self-reliance.

TSMC to make cutting-edge 2-nm chips at Kaohsiung plant

TSMC announced Tuesday that the Kaohsiung plant will produce the most advanced 2nm chips, which is expected to be mass-produced in 2025. Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Qimai said that whether it is the previous 28nm or the current 2nm, he will fully assist TSMC in building the plant.

Economic affairs minister Wang Mei-hua said on Wednesday that in addition to meeting customer needs, cooperation will also bring new opportunities for TSMC. She says the Kaohsiung plant was originally slated to produce 28nm chips, but following plans to establish fabs in both Japan and Germany, the focus for Kaohsiung was redirected to more advanced process technologies.

SK hynix showcases samples of world's first 321-layer TLC* 4D NAND flash

At the 2023 Flash Memory Summit (FMS) held in the United States today, SK hynix officially announced the development progress of the company's 321-layer 1Tb TLC 4D NAND flash memory and showed samples. It is worth mentioning that this is the world's first storage that breaks through 300 layers.

"Based on the experience of successfully developing and mass-producing the industry's highest 238-layer NAND, the development of our 321-layer products is progressing smoothly," an SK Hynix spokesperson said.”

Renesas to Acquire Cellular IoT Technology Leader Sequans through tender offer

On August 7, Renesas Electronics announced that it will acquire Sequans Communications, a French manufacturer of cellular Internet of Things (IoT) wireless chips and modules. The two companies have signed a basic agreement under which Renesas will acquire all of Sequans' shares through a tender offer.

Renesas will initiate a tender offer to acquire all of Sequans' outstanding shares, including its American Depositary Shares (ADS), at a cash price of $3.03 per ADS, and Sequans is valued at $249 million. The acquisition is expected to close in the first quarter of 2024.

Bosch, Infineon, Nordic, NXP, and Qualcomm Join hands to give the RISC-V ecosystem a big boost

Robert Bosch, Infineon Technologies, Nordic Semiconductor, NXP Semiconductor, and Qualcomm Technologies will jointly invest in the new RISC-V hardware company to promote the development of RISC-V next-generation hardware.

It is understood that the headquarters of this newly established company will be established in Germany. And it is obvious that one of the purposes of this cooperation is also to enhance the strength and popularity of RISC-V design in Europe.

China chip giant Unigroup weighs options for €3 bln French unit

Tsinghua Unigroup is considering to sell its French chipmaker Linxens, people familiar with the matter said, Bloomberg reported.

The company has been in talks with potential financial advisers but asked not to be identified because the matter has not been made public. Other options the company is considering for selling include selling a stake in Linxens and also the idea of an initial public offering (IPO) for its main chipmaking subsidiary, Unisoc, according to a person familiar with the matter.