# RISC-V Related Articles

HTX News Center provides the latest articles and in-depth analysis on "RISC-V", covering market trends, project updates, tech developments, and regulatory policies in the crypto industry.

From Computing to Storage: The Two-Dimensional Semiconductor Industry Chain is Taking Shape

The article "From Computing to Storage: The 2D Semiconductor Industry Chain is Taking Shape" discusses the rise of two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors as a pivotal material in the post-Moore era. As silicon-based chips approach physical limits, 2D semiconductors like molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), offer atomic-layer thinness and superior electrical properties, making them a promising non-silicon alternative for advanced nodes beyond 1nm. Globally, industry leaders like TSMC, Intel, and Samsung, along with research institutes like IMEC, are actively investing in this field. Domestically in China, significant progress is being made across the entire supply chain, from material production and equipment R&D to chip integration and ecosystem development. **Key highlights include:** * **Material & Equipment Breakthroughs:** Chinese research teams and companies like Jimo Xin Technology have achieved mass production of 6-inch and 8-inch 2D semiconductor single-crystal wafers using domestically developed equipment like Oxy-MOCVD. This addresses the critical challenge of large-area, high-quality material growth. Breakthroughs have also been made in p-type 2D materials (e.g., MoSi2N4) and wafer-scale ferroelectric thin films, essential for building complementary circuits and low-power transistors. * **Engineering Ecosystem Formation:** A landmark 8-inch 2D semiconductor pilot line in Pudong has become fully operational, bridging the gap between lab research and industrial manufacturing. The release of a Process Design Kit (PDK) compatible with mainstream EDA tools further connects design and fabrication, supporting wafer-level manufacturing of complex circuits. * **Expanding Application Landscape:** Applications are expanding from logic computing to memory. Chinese researchers have developed pioneering 2D semiconductor-based microprocessors, including a 32-bit RISC-V CPU and a higher-density multi-bit parallel processor. In memory, 2D materials' ultra-low leakage current enables DRAM with exceptionally long data retention and advances toward single-electron non-volatile storage. 2D semiconductors also show unique potential in RF circuits, radiation-hardened communications, flexible electronics, and quantum computing. In conclusion, the 2D semiconductor industry in China is rapidly advancing from laboratory research into the engineering validation and small-batch production phase. A complete industrial chain covering materials, equipment, manufacturing, design, and application is初步 forming, positioning the sector as a new competitive dimension in the global semiconductor landscape.

marsbit07/29 11:36

From Computing to Storage: The Two-Dimensional Semiconductor Industry Chain is Taking Shape

marsbit07/29 11:36

NVIDIA CPU Advances, China's RISC-V Responds: Semiconductor Deep Dive - Part Four

NVIDIA is set to launch its new Vera AI data center CPU in China as early as August, with high pricing. While this move offers a new option, it highlights China's continued dependence on foreign-controlled Arm architecture. In response, the Chinese semiconductor industry is increasingly turning to RISC-V as a strategic alternative for achieving high-performance computing autonomy. The article explores the concept of the "impossible triangle" in CPU development—balancing prosperity, control, and autonomy—and posits that RISC-V's open-source, modular nature offers a unique path to achieving all three. While RISC-V is already dominant in embedded systems, the focus is now shifting to data centers and AI workloads. China has become a global hotspot for RISC-V development, driven by AI-driven compute demand, supply chain concerns from export controls, cost benefits of open-source, and strong policy support. Multiple Chinese companies have reportedly crossed the key performance threshold of 15 SPECint per GHz, a benchmark for entering the high-performance CPU club. Progress extends beyond single-core benchmarks. Companies are developing complete computing subsystems, including commercial-grade coherent network-on-chip (NoC) technology and server processors with up to 40 cores that strictly adhere to the RVA23 standard to ensure software compatibility. Real-world applications are emerging in areas like video transcoding and edge AI. However, significant challenges remain. The RISC-V ecosystem faces fragmentation, immature toolchains and verification processes, and gaps in single-core performance and energy efficiency compared to mature x86 and Arm architectures. The formidable software moat, epitomized by NVIDIA's CUDA, is a long-term hurdle. In conclusion, while RISC-V cannot immediately replace offerings like NVIDIA's Vera, it represents a viable long-term path for China to develop a self-sufficient, high-performance CPU ecosystem. The journey is acknowledged to be long and arduous, requiring sustained effort to overcome technical and ecosystem challenges.

marsbit06/18 17:38

NVIDIA CPU Advances, China's RISC-V Responds: Semiconductor Deep Dive - Part Four

marsbit06/18 17:38

$10 Billion, Qualcomm to Acquire Chip Legend Jim Keller's Company

Global mobile chip giant Qualcomm is in advanced talks to acquire AI chip startup Tenstorrent in a deal valued between $8-10 billion, according to media reports. This potential acquisition would be one of the largest in the AI chip sector in recent years. Tenstorrent, led by legendary chip architect Jim Keller, has gained prominence for its RISC-V architecture and AI accelerator designs. The move highlights Qualcomm's strategic push to diversify beyond its core smartphone chip business. As the smartphone market matures, Qualcomm is aggressively targeting growth in automotive, data center, and cloud AI. Acquiring Tenstorrent would allow Qualcomm to rapidly enter the high-end AI computing market, bypassing lengthy in-house development cycles. Tenstorrent's cost-effective system architecture, which avoids expensive HBM memory and relies on standard Ethernet for clustering, offers a potential alternative to Nvidia's costly solutions. Furthermore, Tenstorrent's high-performance RISC-V CPU technology and its focus on the automotive and edge computing segments align with Qualcomm's strategic goals, including its "Snapdragon Digital Chassis" platform. Despite the strategic rationale, the high valuation has sparked some investor caution. The successful integration of Tenstorrent's open-source culture and independent team into Qualcomm's organization, along with the commercialization of its technology, remains a key challenge.

marsbit06/18 11:16