Introduction
By analyzing the most popular semiconductor reports from IEEE Spectrum this year, a compelling trend emerges — the semiconductor industry shares a common pursuit: integrating ever-greater computing power into increasingly smaller spaces. This objective remains the primary focus of research and development across the semiconductor sector.
Let’s explore the top ten semiconductor stories of 2024 that captured attention in IEEE Spectrum.
1. The Journey Toward Trillion-Transistor GPUs: TSMC’s Technological Breakthroughs
1971 marked a milestone in semiconductor history: it was the first year the industry sold over a trillion transistors in total. Astonishingly, TSMC now aims to integrate that many transistors into a single GPU within the next decade. The technical challenges to achieving this goal revolve around three key aspects: increasing transistor density, innovating thermal management solutions, and ensuring high yield rates. TSMC is leveraging cutting-edge 3D stacking technologies and advanced fabrication processes to overcome these hurdles.
2. Disruptive Miniature Lasers: From Laboratory to Industrial Applications
A Japanese research team has made significant breakthroughs in photonic crystal surface-emitting lasers (PCSELs). These centimeter-scale devices precisely engineer nanoscale hole arrays within semiconductor structures to achieve highly efficient and directional light output. Most impressively, the laser beam emitted has a divergence angle of just 0.5 degrees, with an energy density sufficient to cut through steel. This technology not only disrupts traditional large-scale laser applications but also pioneers a new direction for miniaturized high-power lasers.
3. Intel’s Process Leap: Skipping to 18A Node
In 2024, Intel made a bold strategic decision: abandoning the commercialization of the 20A process and advancing directly to the more advanced 18A node. This choice is driven by the integration of two revolutionary technologies—nanosheet transistors and backside power delivery. Nanosheet transistors offer superior gate control, while backside power delivery fundamentally addresses chip power bottlenecks. While TSMC is also advancing nanosheet technology, it lags in backside power delivery. This combination of innovations will provide a robust foundation for high-performance computing.
4. Engineering Breakthroughs in Graphene Chips
Researchers at Georgia Tech have successfully achieved large-scale fabrication of semiconductor-grade graphene on silicon carbide wafers. Electrons in this novel material exhibit mobility tens of times higher than those in silicon, laying the groundwork for terahertz-frequency transistors. By developing innovative processing methods, the research team has addressed graphene’s inherent lack of a bandgap, enabling it to function as a true semiconductor.
5. Intel’s Foundry New Story: Starting with Clearwater Forest
Intel’s foundry division is centering its strategy around the 18A process, with plans to manufacture the next-generation server processor, Clearwater Forest. This processor will feature a groundbreaking architecture that integrates the high-performance advantages of nanosheet transistors with the efficiency of backside power delivery, alongside new advanced packaging technologies. Intel aims to redefine performance benchmarks for server processors through this initiative.
6. The New Competitive Landscape in AI Hardware: Challenging NVIDIA’s Dominance
NVIDIA’s dominance in the AI accelerator market is facing increasing competition from multiple fronts. Various companies are adopting different technological approaches—some focus on low-power edge computing, others optimize hardware for specific AI models, while some develop custom designs for specialized applications. This diversification is reshaping the AI hardware market. Notably, emerging companies have developed specialized chips for training large language models, outperforming NVIDIA’s offerings in certain specific scenarios.
7. India’s Semiconductor Strategy: A $15 Billion Grand Plan
The Indian government has unveiled a $15 billion semiconductor development initiative centered around three key projects: building the country’s first 12-inch silicon-based CMOS wafer fab, establishing a semiconductor research center, and creating a comprehensive semiconductor ecosystem. The uniqueness of this plan lies in its integration of manufacturing, research, and talent cultivation. The nation’s first wafer fab will employ a 28nm process node, focusing on chips for automotive electronics, industrial control, and mobile devices. Additionally, India has introduced multiple policy measures to attract international semiconductor firms and build a local supply chain.
8. 3D Hybrid Bonding: Redefining Chip Packaging Technology
Significant progress was made in 3D hybrid bonding technology in 2024, achieving an ultra-high interconnect density of over one million interconnects per square millimeter. The key innovation of this technology is direct copper-to-copper bonding, eliminating the need for traditional solder balls or microbumps, thereby drastically reducing interconnect latency and increasing bandwidth. At the IEEE Electronics Components Technology Conference in May 2024, researchers showcased various applications, including vertical stacking of memory and processors and the efficient integration of heterogeneous chips.
9. Particle Accelerators: A Revolutionary Breakthrough in Lithography Technology
Current extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography technology generates 13.5nm wavelength light by firing lasers at molten tin droplets. However, as chip feature sizes continue to shrink, a stronger light source is needed. Researchers propose using small synchrotrons as light sources, offering several advantages: a 100-fold increase in light source brightness, significantly improved energy efficiency, and the ability to generate even shorter-wavelength extreme ultraviolet light. While the initial investment is high, cost efficiency can be maintained using regenerative braking technology from high-energy physics.
10. A New Era of Wafer-Scale Computing: TSMC’s Future Roadmap
TSMC’s wafer-scale computing roadmap, announced in April 2024, paints an exciting picture. By breaking traditional chip size limitations, the company aims to achieve system-level integration at the wafer scale. Innovations include novel heat dissipation solutions, high-density interconnect technology, and optimized power distribution networks. TSMC predicts that by 2027, this technology could enhance computing performance by 40 times. Currently, TSMC has manufactured wafer-scale AI accelerators for Cerebras, and the next-generation technology will further enhance flexibility and general applicability.
Conclusion
These ten stories illustrate the multifaceted innovation driving the semiconductor industry in 2024. From process technology to material breakthroughs, from design advancements to system integration, the industry is advancing toward deeper technological revolutions. These developments will provide robust hardware support for cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and high-performance computing.
References
[1] S. K. Moore, "The Top 10 Semiconductor Stories of 2024: Trillion-transistor GPUs, steel-slicing laser chips, particle accelerators, and more," IEEE Spectrum, Dec. 30, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://spectrum.ieee.org/top-semiconductor-stories-2024 [Accessed: Dec. 30, 2024].
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