Semiconductor News 20260401

Today’s semiconductor news highlights the intersection of massive investment in next-generation technologies and physical risks in the supply chain as demand for AI infrastructure explodes. From Samsung’s 2-nanometer yield improvement and 1-nanometer plans to NVIDIA’s 320 billion yen investment in Marvell, technology development and capital investment for next-generation dominance is accelerating. At the same time, however, factors are emerging that are causing turbulence in the market’s growth trajectory, such as the “helium shock” supply uncertainty of key materials, the plunge in DRAM stock prices following the announcement of turbo quant technology, and friction with customers following Arm’s entry into the market with its own chips. New challenges by domestic players, such as the collaboration between Epson and Rapidus, are also attracting attention.

Main News

1. Samsung Aims for 1-nanometer Manufacturing by 2030, 2-nanometer Yield Exceeds 60 Percent
   Samsung Electronics is reportedly pushing hard to develop the next generation of advanced nodes, aiming to manufacture 1-nanometer processes by 2030 using new chiplet technology. In addition, the yield of the 2-nanometer process currently under development is said to have already exceeded the top level of 60 percent, further accelerating the company’s technological challenge to TSMC, its largest competitor, and its move to regain supremacy.
2. Memory Shortage Continues in AI Era; Samsung and SK Hynix to Post Record Profits
   Severe memory chip shortages continue due to a supply-demand imbalance caused by surging demand for AI infrastructure. Against the backdrop of this intense seller’s market, South Korea’s Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have greatly expanded long-term supply contracts and are reportedly on track to post record profits.As securing high-capacity, high-speed memory to support the AI era becomes a top priority, the top manufacturers’ profit bases are extremely strong. The company’s profit base has become extremely strong.
3. Helium Shock” in Global Supply Chain Spreads Widely, Including AI Semiconductor Manufacturing
   Against the backdrop of geopolitical risks in the Middle East and other factors, a “helium shock” is occurring in the global supply chain. The shortage of helium, which is indispensable for cooling processes in semiconductor manufacturing, is having a wide-ranging impact not only on the production of the latest AI semiconductors, but also on the medical field, including MRI machines. The risk of physical supply disruptions of key materials has become apparent, and there is an urgent need to rebuild procurement networks throughout the industry.
4. Epson and Rapidus Team Up to Manufacture Semiconductors Using Printing Technology
   Seiko Epson and Rapidus, a cutting-edge Japanese semiconductor manufacturer, are collaborating in semiconductor manufacturing. This is an attempt to apply the inkjet and other fine printing technologies that Epson has developed over the years to next-generation semiconductor manufacturing processes. It aims to establish a new approach to manufacturing that does not rely on conventional exposure systems, and is attracting attention as a groundbreaking initiative that will help reduce manufacturing costs and environmental impact.
5. NVIDIA to Invest 320 Billion Yen in Marvell to Collaborate on Optical Data Processing Technology
   NVIDIA, the king of AI semiconductors, will make a massive 320 billion yen investment in Marvell Technology, a US semiconductor manufacturer. This is a strategy to surround the next-generation technology that will fundamentally improve the performance of AI infrastructure.
6. DRAM Stocks Plunge in “TurboQuant Shock ,” but Actual Demand Drop Denied
   The announcement of Google’s “TurboQuant” memory demand reduction technology in its AI model triggered a “TurboQuant shock,” with stock prices related to DRAM manufacturers plummeting in the Korean market and elsewhere. However, there are strong indications within the industry that the overall expansion trend of AI infrastructure remains unchanged and that actual memory demand will not decline. Market valuations are wavering between temporary market turbulence caused by innovative technologies and solid actual demand.
7. Arm enters first self-funded AI semiconductor business, friction with existing customers a concern
   It has been reported that British semiconductor design giant Arm is to start developing and manufacturing its own AI semiconductors for the first time, in addition to licensing them. This major shift in business model will put the company in direct competition with its existing customers, who have been using its design assets to develop chips, and while this is a deep move aimed at increasing revenues in the AI hardware market, there are indications that it could cause serious friction within the already robust ecosystem.
8. Kioxia to Exit 2D NAND Market, Phase Out Older Generation Technologies by 2028
   Kioxia is reportedly planning to exit the 2D NAND market, an older generation storage technology, by phasing out production of floating gate technology, BiCS FLASH Gen 3, etc. by 2028. This is a strategic decision to liquidate production lines for legacy products and concentrate management resources on the development and mass production of next-generation memory, given the urgent need to shift to the latest 3D NAND, which offers high capacity and high stacking density due to AI demand and other factors.
9. Micron Develops Stacked GDDR for AI Inference, Prototype to be Completed in 2027
   Memory giant Micron is developing stacked GDDR as a next-generation memory specialized for AI inference processing, with a prototype expected to be completed in 2027. This is a move to pioneer a more cost-effective and inference-friendly architecture as a replacement or complement to expensive HBM (High Bandwidth Memory), and memory products are being segmented to meet the needs of the diversified AI chip market.
10. Denso Strengthens Semiconductor Business, Aiming for Synergies in Automotive, Industrial Equipment, and Consumer Electronics Fields
    Denso, a member of the Toyota Motor Corporation Group, is stepping up its investments and efforts in its semiconductor business. The strategy is to create a wide range of synergies not only in automotive semiconductors, for which demand is growing for electric vehicles and automated driving, but also in the industrial equipment and consumer electronics fields. The giant suppliers that support Japan’s key industries are expected to strengthen the domestic supply chain as they focus on internal production of semiconductors and business expansion.

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