China's Yangtze makes 32-layer NAND flash | EE News

[Martian2]

China wants to manufacture its own computer memory chips. First, it tried to buy American memory storage companies.

In July 2015, China offered to buy US Micron for $23 billion. (China's Tsinghua Unigroup plans $23B bid for Micron Technology | CNBC (July 13, 2015))

The US government's CFIUS said no. CFIUS also said no to China's profferred purchase of a 15% stake in Western Digital. (Western Digital Loses China Investor Over Security Review | Bloomberg (February 23, 2016))

After the rejections by CFIUS, China switched to its backup plan.

In October 2015, China hired Taiwan's Charles Kau.
Charles Kau’s Status in Inotera Under Spotlight after Joining China’s Tsinghua Unigroup | Tech News (October 29, 2015)
"Kau was hired by China’s government-backed Tsinghua Unigroup to be its global executive vice president. After joining Unigroup, the Taiwanese DRAM veteran retired from his stint as the president of Nanya Technology, but stayed on as the president of Inotera, a joint venture between Nanya and U.S.-based Micron Technology."

Micron believed China could not develop a 32-layer NAND chip until 2019.
Micron Doubts That China Could Sustain in the Memory Market | Market Realist (June 28, 2017)
"Even if China manages to develop a 32-layer 3D NAND or a 20 nm (nanometer) DRAM by 2019, the overall memory industry would be at an even more advanced node. [Micron Technology’s chief financial officer Ernest] Maddock explained that the DRAM industry currently transitions to a new technology every 18 months and the NAND industry every 12 months. Currently, Samsung (SSNLF) and Micron are developing a 64-layer 3D NAND, and SK Hynix is developing a 72-layer 3D NAND."

Micron severely underestimated TEAM TAIWAN with at least 50 experienced Taiwanese engineers that was assembled by Charles Kau. In the first half of November 2017, China's "YMTC has put its 32-layer chips into designs of solid-state drive (SSD) and completed testing of chips in handsets in the first half of November, Digitimes said referencing unnamed sources."

China's Yangtze plans on producing 64-layer 3D NAND in 2019.
Yangtze River to produce 64-layer 3D NAND in 2019 | Electronics Weekly (May 8, 2017)
"Yangtze River, the China memory start-up, will have a 64-layer 3D NAND chip in mass production in 2019, according to Digitimes.
Charles Kao, who used to head up Taiwan DRAM company Nanya Technology and who is now acting chairman of Yangtze River, says the company will sampel [32-layer] 3D NAND this year.
Kao also said that, by 2020, Yangtze River will be only two years behind Samsung in 3D NAND technology."

CFIUS tried to block China's entry into the computer memory chip industry. It didn't work. China currently has an indigenous functional solid-state drive (SSD) with its own Yangtze 32-layer 3D NAND memory chips. A 64-layer 3D NAND Chinese memory chip is on its way and should debut in 2019.
----------

Yangtze makes 32-layer NAND flash | EE News Europe (November 26, 2017)

 

[war&peace]

China is catching up and by 2022, it will be on par with the most advanced microchip OEM.

 

[TaiShang]

China wants to manufacture its own computer memory chips. First, it tried to buy American memory storage companies.

In July 2015, China offered to buy US Micron for $23 billion. (China's Tsinghua Unigroup plans $23B bid for Micron Technology | CNBC (July 13, 2015))

The US government's CFIUS said no. CFIUS also said no to China's profferred purchase of a 15% stake in Western Digital. (Western Digital Loses China Investor Over Security Review | Bloomberg (February 23, 2016))

After the rejections by CFIUS, China switched to its backup plan.

In October 2015, China hired Taiwan's Charles Kau.
Charles Kau’s Status in Inotera Under Spotlight after Joining China’s Tsinghua Unigroup | Tech News (October 29, 2015)
"Kau was hired by China’s government-backed Tsinghua Unigroup to be its global executive vice president. After joining Unigroup, the Taiwanese DRAM veteran retired from his stint as the president of Nanya Technology, but stayed on as the president of Inotera, a joint venture between Nanya and U.S.-based Micron Technology."

Micron believed China could not develop a 32-layer NAND chip until 2019.
Micron Doubts That China Could Sustain in the Memory Market | Market Realist (June 28, 2017)
"Even if China manages to develop a 32-layer 3D NAND or a 20 nm (nanometer) DRAM by 2019, the overall memory industry would be at an even more advanced node. [Micron Technology’s chief financial officer Ernest] Maddock explained that the DRAM industry currently transitions to a new technology every 18 months and the NAND industry every 12 months. Currently, Samsung (SSNLF) and Micron are developing a 64-layer 3D NAND, and SK Hynix is developing a 72-layer 3D NAND."

Micron severely underestimated TEAM TAIWAN with at least 50 experienced Taiwanese engineers that was assembled by Charles Kau. In the first half of November 2017, China's "YMTC has put its 32-layer chips into designs of solid-state drive (SSD) and completed testing of chips in handsets in the first half of November, Digitimes said referencing unnamed sources."

China's Yangtze plans on producing 64-layer 3D NAND in 2019.
Yangtze River to produce 64-layer 3D NAND in 2019 | Electronics Weekly (May 8, 2017)
"Yangtze River, the China memory start-up, will have a 64-layer 3D NAND chip in mass production in 2019, according to Digitimes.
Charles Kao, who used to head up Taiwan DRAM company Nanya Technology and who is now acting chairman of Yangtze River, says the company will sampel [32-layer] 3D NAND this year.
Kao also said that, by 2020, Yangtze River will be only two years behind Samsung in 3D NAND technology."

CFIUS tried to block China's entry into the computer memory chip industry. It didn't work. China currently has an indigenous functional solid-state drive (SSD) with its own Yangtze 32-layer 3D NAND memory chips. A 64-layer 3D NAND Chinese memory chip is on its way and should debut in 2019.
----------

Yangtze makes 32-layer NAND flash | EE News Europe (November 26, 2017)

Mainland-Taiwan synergy in technology is unstoppable. With more smart policies that elevate Taiwan into a city-like status of Mainland, more such cooperation can be anticipated.

 

[Martian2]

China has hired many Taiwanese semiconductor-industry executives.

As we saw with Charles Kau at Yangtze River, a single Taiwanese semiconductor executive can be crucial. After decades of experience, he knows all of the critical veteran semiconductor engineers in Taiwan that he needs to assemble to design and manufacture 32-layer NAND and 64-layer NAND.

China's hiring of Taiwanese semiconductor industry executives is widespread.

UMC’s DRAM tech program unhurt by suits | Taipei Times (April 6, 2017)

"Stephen Chen (陳正坤), a former vice president of UMC in charge of its DRAM research team, now works for Fujian Jin Hua"
----------

China Expected to Poach More Taiwan Chip Execs | EE Times (January 11, 2017)

"Shih-wei Sun, a former CEO of Taiwan’s United Microelectronics Corp. as an executive vice president for Tsinghua’s global operations."
"Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) Executive Vice President of R&D Shang-Yi Chiang, who last month joined Shanghai’s Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC) as an independent non-executive director."
"Former Inotera Memories Senior Deputy General Manager Liu Dawei has joined Hefei Chang Xin"
"ex-Micron Memory Taiwan President Chen Cheng-Kun has taken a position at DRAM maker Fujian Jin Hua Integrated Circuit (JHICC)."

 

[TaiShang]

China has hired many Taiwanese semiconductor-industry executives.

As we saw with Charles Kau at Yangtze River, a single Taiwanese semiconductor executive can be crucial. After decades of experience, he knows all of the critical veteran semiconductor engineers in Taiwan that he needs to assemble to design and manufacture 32-layer NAND and 64-layer NAND.

China's hiring of Taiwanese semiconductor industry executives is widespread.

UMC’s DRAM tech program unhurt by suits | Taipei Times (April 6, 2017)

"Stephen Chen (陳正坤), a former vice president of UMC in charge of its DRAM research team, now works for Fujian Jin Hua"
----------

China Expected to Poach More Taiwan Chip Execs | EE Times (January 11, 2017)

"Shih-wei Sun, a former CEO of Taiwan’s United Microelectronics Corp. as an executive vice president for Tsinghua’s global operations."
"Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) Executive Vice President of R&D Shang-Yi Chiang, who last month joined Shanghai’s Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC) as an independent non-executive director."
"Former Inotera Memories Senior Deputy General Manager Liu Dawei has joined Hefei Chang Xin"
"ex-Micron Memory Taiwan President Chen Cheng-Kun has taken a position at DRAM maker Fujian Jin Hua Integrated Circuit (JHICC)."

Hope Trump further limits export of advanced chips to China so Taiwan-Mainland ties grow stronger.

The end result would mean the emergence of an independent industrial cluster in Greater China.

These developments show the merits of China's strategic patience to complete national unification without allowing anything to derail or weaken its economic development.

 

[TaiShang]

Nov 27, 2017 06:08 PM

Tsinghua Unit Buys 30% Stake in Taiwan Semiconductor Subsidiary
By Coco Feng

Tsinghua Unigroup Ltd.'s earlier attempt to buy a piece of Siliconware Precision Industries Co. Ltd. was brought to a swift end when Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen described the investment as a "huge threat" to the island’s important semiconductor industry. Photo: Visual China

A company controlled by Tsinghua University has agreed to buy a 30% stake of a Taiwan-owned semiconductor unit.

Tsinghua Unigroup Ltd. will pay 1.03 billion yuan ($155 million) for a stake in Siliconware Precision Industries Co. Ltd.’s Suzhou subsidiary, the Taiwan firm said in a statement on Friday.

The deal comes after Unigroup’s 2016 attempt to buy into the Taiwan parent company failed to pass regulatory scrutiny, under the then-incoming Tsai Ing-wen administration.

The new sale will supply fresh capital to Siliconware, and will help it expand into the fast-growing Chinese mainland market, it said.

Siliconware has struggled in recent years, with its operating profit declining over the past two years. In late 2015, it signed an agreement to sell a quarter stake to Unigroup, but the deal was frozen in April last year until the incoming Taipei government clarified its policy on investment from the mainland, Reuters reported.

Taiwan’s leader, Tsai Ing-wen, who took office in May 2016, threw cold water on Unigroup’s plans when she called investments from the mainland a “huge threat” to the island’s important semiconductor industry.

Unigroup’s two other deals to buy Taiwan chipmakers Powertech Technology Inc. and ChipMOS Technologies Inc. have also collapsed .

Siliconware tried an alternative to fight the financial setback — agreeing to merge with a larger peer, Advanced Semiconductor Engineering Inc. That deal has completed all anti-trust reviews, including on the Chinese mainland, Taiwan and in the U.S., Siliconware said Friday.

Shares of Taiwan-listed Siliconware rose 5.29% on Monday, while Unigroup’s Shenzhen-listed affiliate Unisplendour Corp. Ltd. saw its shares drop 2.1%.

https://www.caixinglobal.com/2017-1...aiwan-semiconductor-subsidiary-101176892.html

 

[Martian2]

China spends US$231 billion per year on the import of semiconductor chips.

In 2014, China's largest import bill was the cost of foreign semiconductor chips.

China will invest a total of US$24 billion to build THREE 3D NAND flash production lines, which will significantly reduce China's trade deficit in semiconductor chips. Domestic production of computer memory chips will displace the need for imports.

Yangtze River's 32-layer 3D NAND memory chip is a big intermediate step towards China's goal in mass-producing 64-layer 3D NAND memory chips.
----------

Yangtze River Storage breaks ground for memory plant | DigiTimes (January 3, 2017)

"Yangtze River Storage Technology recently broke ground on a new memory semiconductor fabrication plant located in the Donghu New Technology Development Zone, Wuhan (Hebei province, China)....

Total investment in the plant is estimated at US$24 billion, said Tsinghua Unigroup....

Sun Wei from China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) indicated three 3D NAND flash production lines will be equipped at the plant with volume production slated to kick off in 2018. The plant is looking to produce 300,000 12-inch wafers monthly by 2020, according to Sun."

 

[AndrewJin]

China wants to manufacture its own computer memory chips. First, it tried to buy American memory storage companies.

In July 2015, China offered to buy US Micron for $23 billion. (China's Tsinghua Unigroup plans $23B bid for Micron Technology | CNBC (July 13, 2015))

The US government's CFIUS said no. CFIUS also said no to China's profferred purchase of a 15% stake in Western Digital. (Western Digital Loses China Investor Over Security Review | Bloomberg (February 23, 2016))

After the rejections by CFIUS, China switched to its backup plan.

In October 2015, China hired Taiwan's Charles Kau.
Charles Kau’s Status in Inotera Under Spotlight after Joining China’s Tsinghua Unigroup | Tech News (October 29, 2015)
"Kau was hired by China’s government-backed Tsinghua Unigroup to be its global executive vice president. After joining Unigroup, the Taiwanese DRAM veteran retired from his stint as the president of Nanya Technology, but stayed on as the president of Inotera, a joint venture between Nanya and U.S.-based Micron Technology."

Micron believed China could not develop a 32-layer NAND chip until 2019.
Micron Doubts That China Could Sustain in the Memory Market | Market Realist (June 28, 2017)
"Even if China manages to develop a 32-layer 3D NAND or a 20 nm (nanometer) DRAM by 2019, the overall memory industry would be at an even more advanced node. [Micron Technology’s chief financial officer Ernest] Maddock explained that the DRAM industry currently transitions to a new technology every 18 months and the NAND industry every 12 months. Currently, Samsung (SSNLF) and Micron are developing a 64-layer 3D NAND, and SK Hynix is developing a 72-layer 3D NAND."

Micron severely underestimated TEAM TAIWAN with at least 50 experienced Taiwanese engineers that was assembled by Charles Kau. In the first half of November 2017, China's "YMTC has put its 32-layer chips into designs of solid-state drive (SSD) and completed testing of chips in handsets in the first half of November, Digitimes said referencing unnamed sources."

China's Yangtze plans on producing 64-layer 3D NAND in 2019.
Yangtze River to produce 64-layer 3D NAND in 2019 | Electronics Weekly (May 8, 2017)
"Yangtze River, the China memory start-up, will have a 64-layer 3D NAND chip in mass production in 2019, according to Digitimes.
Charles Kao, who used to head up Taiwan DRAM company Nanya Technology and who is now acting chairman of Yangtze River, says the company will sampel [32-layer] 3D NAND this year.
Kao also said that, by 2020, Yangtze River will be only two years behind Samsung in 3D NAND technology."

CFIUS tried to block China's entry into the computer memory chip industry. It didn't work. China currently has an indigenous functional solid-state drive (SSD) with its own Yangtze 32-layer 3D NAND memory chips. A 64-layer 3D NAND Chinese memory chip is on its way and should debut in 2019.
----------

Yangtze makes 32-layer NAND flash | EE News Europe (November 26, 2017)

wow, another one in Central China Wuhan's Optics Valley!

 

[Martian2]

After computer memory chips (3D NAND and DRAM), China's next priority is probably "analog" computer chips.

Texas Instruments (TI) is probably the world leader in analog chip design. It had total company sales of US$12.3 billion last year.

Right now, China is busy building new manufacturing plants to produce 3D NAND and DRAM computer memory chips. After 2020, it would be logical for China to focus on manufacturing its own analog computer chips.

Taiwan's MediaTek purchased Richtek (another Taiwanese company), which has 20 years of experience in designing analog computer chips. Before it was purchased, Richtek had US$383 million dollars in sales for 2015.

The Chinese government can either seek a joint-venture in designing/manufacturing analog chips with MediaTek or it can hire current/retired Richtek analog-chip design engineers from Taiwan.
----------

After China builds manufacturing plants to produce computer memory chips, the next logical product on the list of world's top semiconductor companies would be analog computer chips to compete with Texas Instruments.

----------

Company Profile | Richtek

"Richtek Technology Corporation is one of the world’s leading analog IC companies. The company consistently delivers inventive power management solutions that improve the performance of consumer electronics, computers, and communications equipment. Richtek adds value to end equipment by synthesizing technological innovation, uncompromised quality, and devotion to customer service. Founded in 1998, the Company is headquartered in Taiwan with additional offices in Asia, the U.S., and Europe."

----------

RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORP. Revenue and Financial Data | D&B Hoovers

 

[Martian2]

China's Tsinghua Unigroup forms computer solid-state drive (SSD) joint-venture with Taiwan's Lite-On.

Tsinghua Unigroup owns 50% of Yangtze River Storage.
Tsinghua Unigroup Acquires Control of XMC in Chinese-Chip Deal | The Wall Street Journal (July 26, 2016)
"Tsinghua Unigroup will own more than 50% of Yangtze River Storage, with other stakes held by the national chip fund and a fund backed by the Wuhan city government, they said."

China's Yangtze River Storage has produced a 32-layer NAND flash prototype computer memory chip. It is working on an upgraded 64-layer NAND flash chip to meet the current industry standard.

However, a NAND memory chip is only part of the answer. Multiple NAND memory chips have to be integrated with other electronics to form a solid-state drive (SSD). This is where Taiwan's Lite-On comes into the picture.

From the DigiTimes article below: "Lite-On has been engaged in the development and sales of storage devices for PCs, enterprise servers and datacenters for 10 years, with Lenovo, HPI and Dell among its global customers. The company is confident that its cooperation with Tsinghua Unigroup will create significant synergies and better cash in on the growing storage market demand in China."

"Taiwan-based Lite-On Technology will team up with China's Tsinghua Unigroup to jointly develop the China market for storage products such as solid state drives (SSD)...."

"The pact will remain valid for 20 years starting after the Suzhou subsidiary gets an official operating license. During the period, Tsinghua Unigroup will handle marketing and customer relations by utilizing its connections in China, while Lite-On is to take charge of supply chains and contract manufacturing.

Construction of the new plant will kick off in early 2018, and official run is slated for fourth-quarter 2018."

Given the schedule for the "official run slated for fourth-quarter 2018," it is reasonable to assume the initial-production SSDs will probably use Yangtze River 32-layer NAND flash memory chips. Yangtze River 64-layer NAND flash chips will probably be introduced at a later date.
----------

Lite-On, Tsinghua Unigroup team up to tap China storage market | DigiTimes (December 13, 2017)

 

[Martian2]

Yangtze River (aka Yantze Memory Technologies (YMTC)), SMIC, and Shanghai Huali Microelectronics are using Beijing-based Naura Technology Group's vertical oxidation furnace.

China has an advantage as the end-user for semiconductor equipment. At any time, China can shift purchases of semiconductor equipment to indigenous companies. Whenever a semiconductor fabrication plant is built or upgraded, China can choose to buy from an indigenous source.

Here is the current list of semiconductor equipment purchased from domestic semiconductor-equipment manufacturer Beijing-based Naura Technology. See DigiTimes citation below.

1. Vertical Oxidation Furnaces (model THEORISO302)
2. Etch machines
3. PVD (physical vapor deposition)
4. wafer cleaning machines
5. LPVCD (low pressure chemical vapor deposition)
6. gas quality and flow controllers

Another Chinese manufacturer "CETC Electronics Equipment Group has come out with its newly developed 8-inch chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) equipment that can perform polishing, cleaning and wafer transmission."
----------

China gets big boost in semiconductor equipment localization | DigiTimes (December 8, 2017)

 

[cirr]

Lite-On, Tsinghua Unigroup team up to tap China storage market

Siu Han, Taipei; Willis Ke, DIGITIMES

[Wednesday 13 December 2017]

Taiwan-based Lite-On Technology will team up with China's Tsinghua Unigroup to jointly develop the China market for storage products such as solid state drives (SSD), with the latter to invest US$55 million in the former's new subsidiary in Suzhou in a cooperative capital expansion pact signed December 12, according to a statement issued by Lite-On.

The statement came less than three months after Lite-On announced on September 28 that it would invest US$45 million to set up a wholly-owned subsidiary and build a storage manufacturing plant in Suzhou, Jiangsu province of China. Tsinghua Unigroup and Lite-On had held talks on jointly setting up a storage business for more than six months before Lite-On's September announcement.

Under the cooperation pact, the registered capital of Lite-On's Suzhou subsidiary will be expanded to US$100 million, and Tsinghua Unigroup will hold a 55% stake in the joint venture with three seats on its board of directors, compared to Lite-On's 45% and two board seats. The new venture will be managed under a co-CEO mechanism, with both sides each proposing a candidate.

The pact will remain valid for 20 years starting after the Suzhou subsidiary gets an official operating license. During the period, Tsinghua Unigroup will handle marketing and customer relations by utilizing its connections in China, while Lie-On is to take charge of supply chains and contract manufacturing.

Construction of the new plant will kick off in early 2018, and official run is slated for fourth-quarter 2018. Lite-On expects the new Suzhou venture to start contributing to its revenues in 2019 at the earliest.

Lite-On has been engaged in the development and sales of storage devices for PCs, enterprise servers and datacenters for 10 years, with Lenovo, HPI and Dell among its global customers. The company is confident that its cooperation with Tsinghua Unigroup will create significant synergies and better cash in on the growing storage market demand in China.

Industry sources said this is Tsinghua Unigroup's second investment involving Taiwan companies in the past two months. Taiwan-based IC packager Siliconware Precision Industries (SPIL) announced on November 24 that it has sold a 30% stake of its subsidiary, also in Suzhou, to Tsinghua Unigroup for CNY 1.02 billion (US$154 million) to facilitate its development in the China market.

http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20171213PD205.html

 

[chengdusudise]

THIS is a good start ,hope we can catch up S.K in ten years