Samsung was researching and developing a new material to use to make focus rings, TheElec has learned.Focus rings are commodities used in the etching process of wafer fabrication. It fixes the wafer in place to maintain the plasma density and prevents the sides of the wafer from contamination.In the

SK Hynix has significantly downsized its team that develops memory products for automobiles, TheElec has learned.According to sources, Daeyong Shim, vice president head of SK Hynix’s Automotive Business, was transferred to the Semiconductor Academy, a team dedicated to educating the company’s suppli

Hyundai Motor was considering procuring home appliance IC controllers as the prolonged global chip shortage continues to affect automobile production, TheElec has learned.The South Korean automobile giant was conducting tests to see whether these controllers can replace the ones it currently uses an

Lam Research on Thursday announced new etching solutions that can be used for gate-all-around (GAA) transistor structures in wafers.The solutions were already in use by Samsung for its 3-nanometer (nm) GAA process, the company said.They were being manufactured by Lam Research Manufacturing Korea, th

LG Group had refused to hand over its chip development team to LX Group, which had split off from the former last year, TheElec has learned.LX Semicon, formerly called Silicon Works, had made a request during the second half of 2021 to LG Electronics to transfer its personnel and asset under the Sys

South Korean fab equipment maker Auros Technology has won an order from a Chinese memory chip maker to supply overlay measurement equipment, TheElec has learned.Auros Technology passed the Chinese company’s demo test late last year, sources said.The South Korean company has begun supplying the kits

SK Hynix has recorded its highest annual revenue to date in 2021.The South Korean memory chip maker said it recorded 43 trillion won in revenue and 12.4 trillion won in operating income during the entire year.The revenue figure is its highest to date, beating its previous 2018 record of 40.4 trillio

DS Hi-Metal is planning to start operations of its tin factory in Myanmar this year, TheElec has learned.It will use the tin produced from the factory to manufacture its own solder balls starting in 2023, sources said.DS Hi-Metal manufactures mostly solder balls that are used in semiconductor packag

Samsung has posted solid earnings for the fourth quarter last year thanks to expanded sales of finished products and advanced processing nodes in semiconductors.The company said on Thursday that it has recorded 76.57 trillion won in revenue and 13.87 trillion won in operating profit in the fourth qu

Samsung Electronics is reevaluating its plan to invest in fan-out wafer-level package (FoWLP), TheElec has learned.The company originally planned to spend around 200 billion won to manufacture the package at its Cheonan plant to apply them in Exynos application processors.According to sources, in a

NAND flash prices during the first quarter this year are expected to decline by 8% to 13% compared to the previous quarter, analyst firm TrendForce said.The firm adjusted the price drops from its previous forecast of 10% to 15%.TrendForce said this was from increased orders for PCIe 3.0 products and

Dongwoon Anatech was supplying its closed-loop autofocus driver IC to Xiaomi for the latter’s augmented reality (AR) glasses, TheElec has learned.The chip is used to control where the lens is during camera focusing.An open-loop driver sends electricity to the voice coil motor. It is cheaper to make

Fab and display equipment maker Wonik IPS has hired an ex-Samsung chip expert in its recent reorganization, TheElec has learned.The company named Ahn Tae-hyuk as head and president of its semiconductor research lab.Ahn was last the executive vice president at Samsung SDI, where he oversaw their smal

Samsung on Tuesday introduced its new mobile application processor Exynos 2200.The processor is made using its 4nm EUV process and packs new GPU and CPU, the company said.Samsung originally planned to unveil Exynos 2200 on January 11, but the event was canceled.Exynos 2200 packs a new GPU called Xcl

GCT Semiconductor, the fabless chip designing subsidiary of Anapass, is planning to launch a new 5G chipset it co-developed with Verizon this year, TheElec has learned.The South Korean company had been co-developing the chipset with the US telco since 2019.The chipset follows 3GPP 5G New Radio Relea

System chip startup Skaichip said on Monday that it will launch its Series A funding round next month.The company, founded in April 2019, offers wireless charging technology that uses radio frequency (RF).Unlike current wireless charging that requires devices to be close by to the charger, Skaichip’

System semiconductor design firm Coasia said on Wednesday that it will be supplying SoCs for heated e-cigarette to Jiangsu Tobacco.Delivery of the SoCs will begin mid-year when Jiangsu Tobacco designates its e-cigarette developer, the South Korean firm said.Coasia has been developing the chips with

South Korean chip foundry firm DB HiTek said on Wednesday that it has developed process technologies for 130-nanometer (nm) and 110nm RF front-end chips.RF front-end are transceivers used in IT devices from smartphones to IoT modules.It is comprised of an antenna tuner, switch, low noise amplifier,

Semiconductor deposition and etching equipment firm TES’ gas-phase etching equipment (GPE) has passed Samsung Electronics’ quality test, TheElec has learned.It is highly like that the fab equipment maker will supply the GPE equipment to Samsung Foundry within the year.GPE equipment is a dry etching

Samsung said on Friday that it recorded 76 trillion won in revenue and 13.8 trillion won in operating income in the fourth quarter of 2021.Revenue increased by 23.48% year-on-year while operating income jumped 52.49% over the same time period.But the operating income figure is below South Korean ana