Episode 3: Moore's Law and Process vs. Packaging

The Circuit · 16 Jan 2023 · 40m · Episode 3

What this episode covers

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the economic and technological challenges facing semiconductor foundries like Intel, TSMC, and Samsung as Moore's Law slows. They analyze Intel's loss of process leadership, Samsung's structural challenges in the 3nm era, and the shifting industry focus from raw transistor density to advanced packaging and chiplet architectures. The hosts also explore how vertical integration gives Apple a competitive advantage over companies like Intel and Qualcomm that must serve broader, lower-common-denominator markets.

Mentioned

Companies
Intel, TSMC, Samsung, Apple, Qualcomm, AMD, NVIDIA, GlobalFoundries, UMC
Products
M1, Snapdragon 8, MI 100
Also
FinFET, Gate-All-Around, RibbonFET

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • EE Times Current · 34m

    Whither Semiconductors? The Wheels on the Bus Go ‘Round and ‘Round

    Jim McGregor, co-founder of Tirias Research, discusses the evolving competitive landscape of the semiconductor industry, identifying Intel, AMD, and NVIDIA (following its potential acquisition of Arm) as the new dominant trio. He explains how the convergence of computing, connectivity, and intelligence is blurring traditional boundaries, with companies like Qualcomm, Samsung, and MediaTek competing across smartphones, servers, and automotive sectors. McGregor highlights the shift toward heterogeneous computing, specialized accelerators like DPUs, and the move away from monolithic dies toward multi-chip modules and advanced packaging to overcome Moore's Law limitations.

  • EE Times Current · 43m

    Headline: Intel Throws a Curveball | The Book on Gallium Nitride

    Analysts Jim McGregor and Kevin Krewell of Tirias Research explain Intel's decision to establish a standalone foundry business, detailing the $20 billion investment, the separation from Intel's IDM operations, and the strategic collaboration with IBM on nanosheet technology. They discuss the challenges of competing with TSMC and Samsung, the importance of packaging expertise like Foveros and EMIB, and the need for immediate execution on 7nm processes. Additionally, EE Times editors Nitin Khanna, Dahad, and Maurizio de Paulo Emilio preview the new Aspencore Guide to Gallium Nitride, highlighting its applications in power electronics, EVs, and fast chargers, and its role as a reference for wide bandgap semiconductors.

  • EE Times Current · 18m

    ON Semi’s Acquisition | TSMC’s Finer Nodes | Tesla’s AI Chip | China’s Fabless Companies

    Rick Merritt reports on ON Semiconductor's acquisition of GlobalFoundries' East Fishkill fab to transition to 300mm wafers and TSMC's roadmap updates on 7nm, 5nm, and advanced packaging. Junko Yoshida analyzes Tesla's new Full Self-Driving computer and criticizes the company's marketing of its autonomous capabilities. Echo Zhao discusses the 2019 China fabless survey, highlighting rapid growth, fragmentation, and the rise of IoT applications in the region.

  • EE Times Current · 15m

    IMEC & the End of the Road(map) | EDS and the Trade War | Restoring Notre Dame

    Rick Merritt reports from IMEC's Future Summits in Antwerp, detailing a semiconductor roadmap that may halt at 2 nanometers due to shrinking gate lengths and metal pitches, while TSMC, Samsung, and Intel compete with unique packaging and transistor techniques. Barb Jorgensen covers the Electronic Distribution Show (EDS) in Las Vegas, highlighting industry skittishness over US-China trade war tariffs and their impact on component costs and supply chain delays. Brian Santow and graphics experts Jon Peddie and Kathleen Maher discuss using advanced imaging, laser scanning, and CAD tools to restore Notre Dame, debating whether to replicate the original design or reimagine it with modern materials like steel and titanium.

  • EE Times Current · 42m

    The CHIP Act’s Blind Spot | A Lifeline for Intel | I Just Saw a Face

    Adam Khan, founder of Akhan Semiconductor, and Vice Admiral Charles Moore discuss the need for U.S. legislation to support wide-bandgap semiconductors like diamond, gallium nitride, and silicon carbide, arguing that focusing on these materials allows the U.S. to leverage existing 200mm fabs rather than chasing expensive EUV lithography. The episode also analyzes Intel CEO Bob Swan's ambiguous statements regarding process technology, with journalist Balaji Rao arguing that Intel should pivot to a full-time foundry model to maintain technological sovereignty and compete with TSMC, rather than outsourcing to Taiwan.

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by The Circuit. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.