Beyond Chiplets, CMOS 2.0 Moves Scaling into the Circuit

As traditional transistor scaling becomes increasingly challenging, the semiconductor industry is shifting focus toward chiplets, advanced packaging, high-bandwidth memory, and heterogeneous integrati... Read original →

CMOS 2.0 signals a paradigm shift from transistor-level to system-level scaling. Technically, it demands EDA overhauls, sub-micron precision in hybrid bonding, and TSV advancements—raising manufacturing barriers significantly. Geopolitically, reliance on EUV and advanced packaging tools exposes foundries in Taiwan, China and mainland China to U.S. export controls, threatening supply continuity. Strategically, while TSMC and Intel push 3DFabric and Foveros, Arm’s early architectural leadership in CMOS 2.0 could redefine IP licensing dynamics, eroding traditional IDM moats. Within 18 months, AI chip design will bifurcate: pioneers embracing circuit-level disaggregation may break the memory wall but risk yield collapse, while Chiplet-optimizers gain short-term stability via HBM integration. This race is fundamentally about energy-density supremacy—the winner sets the AI hardware agenda.