The self-developed core chip for laser radar is becoming the choice of leading laser radar players.

In September 2023, NIO released its first self-developed chip product: the LiDAR main control chip NX6031, codenamed “Yang Jian.” This chip is used in the Tudatong Falcon laser radar, replacing expensive third-party chips such as FPGA and ADC. It is reported that “Yang Jian” will save NIO several hundred yuan in BOM costs for each vehicle.

In October 2024, the fully self-developed SoC chip M-Core from Sucai Junhua obtained AEC-Q100 automotive-grade reliability certification. This chip integrates laser emission control, reception control, MEMS control, backend circuits, and DDR chips, enabling simultaneous emission control, scanning control, signal processing, point cloud generation, and many other functions. M-Core can significantly simplify the circuit design of laser radar and greatly reduce its size.

The MX, as the first long-range laser radar product equipped with the M-Core chip, is expected to achieve mass production and delivery in early 2025.

Image source: Xueling Deep Researchhttps://dcn7get8fskg.feishu.cn/wiki/FIgmwKPURixJupkmfaqcZgy3nyh

Recently, I obtained another high-performance laser radar SoC processor. Due to the unknown model, I attempted to observe its internal structure through Decap and discuss it with fellow experts.

01

Overall Structure

Photographed using Indium Gallium Arsenide (InGaAs) microscopy as follows:

Photographed after opening the lid as follows. Different colors represent different processes:

Photographs from different angles:

02

Local Structure

Photographs of different local positions are shown below. Among them, one of the enlarged images is from the InGaAs photograph, and the other is from the Decap photograph.

1) Upper left side of the chip:

2) Upper middle left side of the chip:3) Upper middle right side of the chip:4) Right side of the chip:5) Upper middle of the chip:6) Left side of the chip:7) Upper right side of the chip:8) Lower left side of the chip:9) Lower middle right side of the chip:10) Lower right side of the chip: