Equation
Lieutenant General
I wonder if COS will be available on HTC smartphones?
News on China's scientific and technological development.
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I wonder if COS will be available on HTC smartphones?
broadsword
Brigadier
HTC phones are selling in China. I do wonder will Google try to be the spoiler.
Martian
Senior Member
TSMC Showing 20nm HKMG and 16nm FinFET Wafers at ARM TechCon
Posted by Nathan Kirsch | Wed, Oct 30, 2013 - 4:31 PM
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) is at ARM TechCon showing off 20nm Soc and 16nm FinFET-based development wafers. The 20 and 16nm nodes both posed significant hurdles for TSMC, so to see wafers being produced on those nodes is a good sign. The 20nm node is the first to use double patterning, requiring more masks and additional runs under an immersion lithography machine. The 16nm node represents TSMC’s first use of FinFETs (multi-gate or tri-gate architectures) for even lower power use and higher performance.
TSMC has taped out several 20nm HKMG processor designs and is ready for volume production in early 2014. TSMC expects to let customers start designing and taping out 16nm FinFET chips before the end of the year and production 16nm FinFET wafers to enter production a year later in Q1 2015.
Martian
Senior Member
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), with its 20nm technology, is the world leader in ARM (RISC-based) chips for mobile computing. In comparison, Intel chips are CISC (ie. complex instruction set computing) based for desktop PCs.
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"TSMC Begins Volume Production of Chips Using 20nm Process Technology
January 16th, 2014 at 11:36 pm - Author Anton Shilov
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. on Thursday said it had begun mass production of chips using 20nm process technology ahead of its own schedule. The new fabrication process will help fabless chip designers (e.g., AMD, Nvidia, Qualcomm, etc.) to create processors with higher transistor count, lower power consumption and improved performance.
TSMC’s 20nm technology (which the company calls CLN20SOC) is mainly designed for highly-integrated system-on-chip devices that benefit from increased transistor density. The fabrication technology relies on high-k metal gate technology that should ensure fairly high clock-rates of chips without increase of leakage currents. TSMC will offer only one version of the 20nm-class manufacturing process, which will help the company to ramp up volume production using the tech in a short period of time.
“We have two fabs, fab 12 and fab 14 that complete the core of the 20nm-SoC. As a matter of fact, we have started production. We are in the [high]-volume [20nm] production as we speak right now,” said C. C. Wei, co-chief executive officer and co-president of TSMC.
At present, certain modules of TSMC’s fabs 12 and fab 16 are producing chips using 20nm process technology. The fab 15 modules 3 and 4 will initiate production using 20nm process tech sometimes in May, 2014.
While TSMC is tight-lipped regarding nature of chips it makes using 20nm fabrication process, last year it said that the first five 20nm products will be aimed at mobile computing, CPU and PLD [programmable logic device] segments.
TSMC expects wafers processed using 20nm process technologies to account for around 10 per cent of this year’s wafer revenue. In the fourth quarter the 20nm fabrication process is projected to account for 20 per cent of TSMC revenue."
----------
"TSMC Begins Volume Production of Chips Using 20nm Process Technology
January 16th, 2014 at 11:36 pm - Author Anton Shilov
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. on Thursday said it had begun mass production of chips using 20nm process technology ahead of its own schedule. The new fabrication process will help fabless chip designers (e.g., AMD, Nvidia, Qualcomm, etc.) to create processors with higher transistor count, lower power consumption and improved performance.
TSMC’s 20nm technology (which the company calls CLN20SOC) is mainly designed for highly-integrated system-on-chip devices that benefit from increased transistor density. The fabrication technology relies on high-k metal gate technology that should ensure fairly high clock-rates of chips without increase of leakage currents. TSMC will offer only one version of the 20nm-class manufacturing process, which will help the company to ramp up volume production using the tech in a short period of time.
“We have two fabs, fab 12 and fab 14 that complete the core of the 20nm-SoC. As a matter of fact, we have started production. We are in the [high]-volume [20nm] production as we speak right now,” said C. C. Wei, co-chief executive officer and co-president of TSMC.
At present, certain modules of TSMC’s fabs 12 and fab 16 are producing chips using 20nm process technology. The fab 15 modules 3 and 4 will initiate production using 20nm process tech sometimes in May, 2014.
While TSMC is tight-lipped regarding nature of chips it makes using 20nm fabrication process, last year it said that the first five 20nm products will be aimed at mobile computing, CPU and PLD [programmable logic device] segments.
TSMC expects wafers processed using 20nm process technologies to account for around 10 per cent of this year’s wafer revenue. In the fourth quarter the 20nm fabrication process is projected to account for 20 per cent of TSMC revenue."
Martian
Senior Member
China's SMIC is world's fifth-largest semiconductor chip foundry | IC Insights
Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) is China's largest semiconductor manufacturer. (Photo credit: )
According to the latest data from IC Insights (see chart below), China's Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) is the world's fifth-largest semiconductor chip foundry.
As China's largest semiconductor manufacturer, SMIC had a great year in 2013. SMIC revenue boomed year-over-year by 28% to total $1.97 billion.
There is more good news. SMIC has started initial production of 28nm chips.
----------
TSMC and GlobalFoundries Led Foundry Market in 2013 – IC Insights.
Top 13 Foundries Account for 91% of Total Foundry Sales in 2013
[01/29/2014 11:55 PM]
by Anton Shilov
[Note: IDM is an acronym for "integrated device manufacturer." An IDM manufactures semiconductor chips like a foundry and also sells the chips inside its own consumer electronics products.]
----------
"SMIC Starts Supplying 28nm CMOS
Peter Clarke
27 January 2014
China's leading indigenous chip manufacturer Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (Shanghai, China) has announced that it has completed the development of two manufacturing processes at the 28nm node and put its first 28nm multiproject wafer (MPW) run through a fab at the end of 2013.
SMIC is now able to supply 28nm polysilicon gate and 28nm high-k dielectric metal gate (HKMG) processes and said it has a library of over 100 cores available developed by third-party IP partners and internally at SMIC.
SMIC said the first MPW run was used by SMIC and customers for verification of process and circuits and that it would run more MPWs during 2014 but did not indicate how quickly it would move to volume production of 28nm wafers. Previously it had been reported that SMIC would gain first revenues from 28nm polysilicon-gate in 3Q14 and from 28 HKMG in 2H15.
SMIC is offering two 28nm processes in a manner similar to Taiwan foundries TSMC and United Microelectronics Corp. and no doubt in the hope it can take some of their business on price. TSMC has dominated the ramp up of 28nm foundry manufacturing and in the fourth quarter of 2013 28nm process technology was responsible for about one third of its sales of NT$145.81 billion (about $4.8 billion). According to IHS' forecasts, the pure-play foundry revenue potential for 28nm will continue to rise with a CAGR of 19.4 percent from 2012 to 2017.
The 28nm manufacturing processes have been mainly used for mobile and consumer equipment such as smartphones and tablet computers, set-top boxes and networking ICs. TSMC ramped the volume supply of 28nm wafers to customers in 2011 which puts SMIC about three years behind TSMC but only a couple of years behind Globalfoundries and UMC. (article continues)"
-----
"SMIC Unveils 28nm Readiness and MPW Milestone
SHANGHAI, Jan. 26, 2014 -- Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation ("SMIC"，NYSE: SMI; SEHK: 981) , China's largest and most advanced semiconductor foundry, announced today that its 28nm technology has been process frozen and the company has successfully entered Multi Project Wafer (MPW) stage to support customer's requirements on both 28nm PolySiON (PS) and 28nm high-k dielectrics metal gate (HKMG) processes. Over 100 IPs from multiple third party IP partners as well as SMIC's internal IP team are prepared to serve various projects from worldwide design houses that have been showing interest in SMIC 28nm processes.
28nm process technologies primarily target mobile computing and consumer electronics related applications, such as Smartphone, Tablets, TV, Set-top Boxes and networking. It provides customers high performance application processors, cellular baseband, wireless connectivity etc. According to IHS' forecasts, the pure-play foundry revenue potential for 28nm will continue to rise with a CAGR of 19.4% from 2012 to 2017.
'I am pleased to announce the successful 28nm process milestone, which enables SMIC to better position itself in engaging and serving mobile computing related customers," said Dr. Tzu-Yin Chiu, Chief Executive Officer & Executive Director of SMIC. "As the first foundry in mainland China to offer 28nm process technologies, this significant milestone demonstrates SMIC's continuous growing capabilities in offering leading foundry technologies to worldwide IC designers.'
"The first SMIC 28nm MPW shuttle included both 28PS and 28HKMG related customer products for verification, which was already launched at the end of 2013 as planned," said Dr. Shiuh-Wuu Lee, Executive Vice President of Technology Development of SMIC. 'By taking more MPW shuttles in 2014, we will continue to take more positive steps to strengthen and diversify our technology offerings and meet customers' growing demands on both advanced and differentiated technologies.'"
Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) is China's largest semiconductor manufacturer. (Photo credit: )
According to the latest data from IC Insights (see chart below), China's Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) is the world's fifth-largest semiconductor chip foundry.
As China's largest semiconductor manufacturer, SMIC had a great year in 2013. SMIC revenue boomed year-over-year by 28% to total $1.97 billion.
There is more good news. SMIC has started initial production of 28nm chips.
----------
TSMC and GlobalFoundries Led Foundry Market in 2013 – IC Insights.
Top 13 Foundries Account for 91% of Total Foundry Sales in 2013
[01/29/2014 11:55 PM]
by Anton Shilov
[Note: IDM is an acronym for "integrated device manufacturer." An IDM manufactures semiconductor chips like a foundry and also sells the chips inside its own consumer electronics products.]
----------
"SMIC Starts Supplying 28nm CMOS
Peter Clarke
27 January 2014
China's leading indigenous chip manufacturer Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (Shanghai, China) has announced that it has completed the development of two manufacturing processes at the 28nm node and put its first 28nm multiproject wafer (MPW) run through a fab at the end of 2013.
SMIC is now able to supply 28nm polysilicon gate and 28nm high-k dielectric metal gate (HKMG) processes and said it has a library of over 100 cores available developed by third-party IP partners and internally at SMIC.
SMIC said the first MPW run was used by SMIC and customers for verification of process and circuits and that it would run more MPWs during 2014 but did not indicate how quickly it would move to volume production of 28nm wafers. Previously it had been reported that SMIC would gain first revenues from 28nm polysilicon-gate in 3Q14 and from 28 HKMG in 2H15.
SMIC is offering two 28nm processes in a manner similar to Taiwan foundries TSMC and United Microelectronics Corp. and no doubt in the hope it can take some of their business on price. TSMC has dominated the ramp up of 28nm foundry manufacturing and in the fourth quarter of 2013 28nm process technology was responsible for about one third of its sales of NT$145.81 billion (about $4.8 billion). According to IHS' forecasts, the pure-play foundry revenue potential for 28nm will continue to rise with a CAGR of 19.4 percent from 2012 to 2017.
The 28nm manufacturing processes have been mainly used for mobile and consumer equipment such as smartphones and tablet computers, set-top boxes and networking ICs. TSMC ramped the volume supply of 28nm wafers to customers in 2011 which puts SMIC about three years behind TSMC but only a couple of years behind Globalfoundries and UMC. (article continues)"
-----
"SMIC Unveils 28nm Readiness and MPW Milestone
SHANGHAI, Jan. 26, 2014 -- Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation ("SMIC"，NYSE: SMI; SEHK: 981) , China's largest and most advanced semiconductor foundry, announced today that its 28nm technology has been process frozen and the company has successfully entered Multi Project Wafer (MPW) stage to support customer's requirements on both 28nm PolySiON (PS) and 28nm high-k dielectrics metal gate (HKMG) processes. Over 100 IPs from multiple third party IP partners as well as SMIC's internal IP team are prepared to serve various projects from worldwide design houses that have been showing interest in SMIC 28nm processes.
28nm process technologies primarily target mobile computing and consumer electronics related applications, such as Smartphone, Tablets, TV, Set-top Boxes and networking. It provides customers high performance application processors, cellular baseband, wireless connectivity etc. According to IHS' forecasts, the pure-play foundry revenue potential for 28nm will continue to rise with a CAGR of 19.4% from 2012 to 2017.
'I am pleased to announce the successful 28nm process milestone, which enables SMIC to better position itself in engaging and serving mobile computing related customers," said Dr. Tzu-Yin Chiu, Chief Executive Officer & Executive Director of SMIC. "As the first foundry in mainland China to offer 28nm process technologies, this significant milestone demonstrates SMIC's continuous growing capabilities in offering leading foundry technologies to worldwide IC designers.'
"The first SMIC 28nm MPW shuttle included both 28PS and 28HKMG related customer products for verification, which was already launched at the end of 2013 as planned," said Dr. Shiuh-Wuu Lee, Executive Vice President of Technology Development of SMIC. 'By taking more MPW shuttles in 2014, we will continue to take more positive steps to strengthen and diversify our technology offerings and meet customers' growing demands on both advanced and differentiated technologies.'"
Martian
Senior Member
TSMC, SMIC, IBM, Samsung, GlobalFoundries, and UMC. Four uncertainties. Also Intel's SoFIA.
28nm (TSMC 2011, SMIC sometime in 2014) volume production
20nm (TSMC in January 2014) volume production
14/16nm (TSMC 16nm FinFET in fourth quarter 2014) risk production in Dec. 2013 with volume production in fourth quarter 2014
10nm (TSMC says they are ready to go in fourth quarter 2015) risk/trial production before ramp up
The citation from Electronics360: "TSMC ramped the volume supply of 28nm wafers to customers in 2011 which puts SMIC about three years behind TSMC but only a couple of years behind Globalfoundries and UMC."
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is the world leader in RISC-based ARM semiconductor chips for mobile phones and tablets. TSMC started volume production of 20nm in January 2014. TSMC will begin volume production of 16nm FinFET (ie. 3D chip architecture) in the fourth quarter of this year.
I can only compare TSMC and SMIC based on the current snapshot. If SMIC is able to proceed as fast as TSMC then SMIC is three years behind TSMC, which introduced volume production of 28nm in 2011. GlobalFoundries and UMC did not start small-volume production of 28nm until early last year. They are both in the process of increasing their yield. This puts SMIC about two years behind GlobalFoundries and UMC.
SMIC, GlobalFoundries, UMC, and Samsung license the 28nm fabrication technology from IBM. IBM has shown test-wafers of 20nm and 14nm. However, it is not clear whether the IBM wafers were memory chips (which are simple repeated patterns) or the more advanced logic chips (which are more difficult to manufacture). With a few minor exceptions, TSMC generally does not manufacture memory chips due to the lower margin.
IBM's problem has always been taking the technology to build one cutting-edge wafer in the lab and transforming it into a reliable mass-manufacturing process. Ten years ago, IBM went into the foundry business to compete against TSMC. IBM wooed away TSMC's largest customer NVIDIA.
However, IBM failed miserably and was late to market by six months. Due to IBM's inability to reliably mass-manufacture the semiconductor chips on its wafers, ATI (which remained a TSMC customer) surpassed NVIDIA and became the world's largest graphics card seller for that year. NVIDIA learned its lesson and moved its orders back to TSMC.
The reason I can't give a good answer (to the question of how far SMIC lags) is that there are too many uncertainties. IBM's 20nm and 14nm technology (both gate-last) are different from its 28nm technology (gate-first). IBM was stuck at 28nm for an extra two years in comparison to TSMC (which has been consistently gate-last). Can IBM make a smooth transition from gate-first 28nm to 20nm gate-last?
Without additional problems, IBM is currently two years behind TSMC. Technically speaking, IBM provides "consultation" services. However, the Common Platform Alliance members (ie. IBM, Samsung and GlobalFoundries) are all relying on IBM's expertise. IBM has individual licensing side-deals with UMC and SMIC.
The issue is further complicated by IBM's recent effort to sell its chip business.
In conclusion, there are four large uncertainties. Firstly, IBM has a history of encountering delays in transitioning from a single lab wafer to mass manufacture. Secondly, IBM's partners are currently two years behind TSMC and their yield (70%?) is probably still lower than TSMC (95%?). This means TSMC still has better technology at 28nm, lower cost for itself and customers per wafer, and higher profit margins. This gives TSMC an advantage to invest more money into R&D for the next generation of semiconductors.
Thirdly, can IBM make a smooth transition from 28nm gate-first to 20nm gate-last? Finally, will IBM's effort to sell its chip business result in delays for the Common Platform Alliance, UMC, and SMIC?
There is a fifth major problem. Let's say SMIC catches up to TSMC in manufacturing technology. Does that mean it's a level playing field? No. TSMC has 30 years of libraries, IP (intellectual property), and tools. That is the reason Intel's SoFIA chips will be manufactured at TSMC in 2015.
TSMC has advantages in addition to cutting-edge 20nm RISC-based process technology.
"TSMC is the world’s largest dedicated semiconductor foundry, providing the industry’s leading process technology and the foundry’s largest portfolio of process-proven libraries, IP, design tools and reference flows."
----------
"Intel's SoFIA Could Be A Real Bombshell - Seeking Alpha
Dec 2, 2013 - SoFIA is Intel's integrated applications processor, cellular baseband, and ... The shocker, however, is that this chip will be built at TSMC."
----------
"How Intel is buying, building a piece of the tablet market | PCWorld
Jan 18, 2014 - Intel has an ambitious goal for 2014: get its Atom chips into 40 million tablets, ... Bay Trail until new Atom chips code-named Broxton and SoFIA come out in 2015. ... not in Intel's own fabs but by contract manufacturer TSMC."
28nm (TSMC 2011, SMIC sometime in 2014) volume production
20nm (TSMC in January 2014) volume production
14/16nm (TSMC 16nm FinFET in fourth quarter 2014) risk production in Dec. 2013 with volume production in fourth quarter 2014
10nm (TSMC says they are ready to go in fourth quarter 2015) risk/trial production before ramp up
The citation from Electronics360: "TSMC ramped the volume supply of 28nm wafers to customers in 2011 which puts SMIC about three years behind TSMC but only a couple of years behind Globalfoundries and UMC."
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is the world leader in RISC-based ARM semiconductor chips for mobile phones and tablets. TSMC started volume production of 20nm in January 2014. TSMC will begin volume production of 16nm FinFET (ie. 3D chip architecture) in the fourth quarter of this year.
I can only compare TSMC and SMIC based on the current snapshot. If SMIC is able to proceed as fast as TSMC then SMIC is three years behind TSMC, which introduced volume production of 28nm in 2011. GlobalFoundries and UMC did not start small-volume production of 28nm until early last year. They are both in the process of increasing their yield. This puts SMIC about two years behind GlobalFoundries and UMC.
SMIC, GlobalFoundries, UMC, and Samsung license the 28nm fabrication technology from IBM. IBM has shown test-wafers of 20nm and 14nm. However, it is not clear whether the IBM wafers were memory chips (which are simple repeated patterns) or the more advanced logic chips (which are more difficult to manufacture). With a few minor exceptions, TSMC generally does not manufacture memory chips due to the lower margin.
IBM's problem has always been taking the technology to build one cutting-edge wafer in the lab and transforming it into a reliable mass-manufacturing process. Ten years ago, IBM went into the foundry business to compete against TSMC. IBM wooed away TSMC's largest customer NVIDIA.
However, IBM failed miserably and was late to market by six months. Due to IBM's inability to reliably mass-manufacture the semiconductor chips on its wafers, ATI (which remained a TSMC customer) surpassed NVIDIA and became the world's largest graphics card seller for that year. NVIDIA learned its lesson and moved its orders back to TSMC.
The reason I can't give a good answer (to the question of how far SMIC lags) is that there are too many uncertainties. IBM's 20nm and 14nm technology (both gate-last) are different from its 28nm technology (gate-first). IBM was stuck at 28nm for an extra two years in comparison to TSMC (which has been consistently gate-last). Can IBM make a smooth transition from gate-first 28nm to 20nm gate-last?
Without additional problems, IBM is currently two years behind TSMC. Technically speaking, IBM provides "consultation" services. However, the Common Platform Alliance members (ie. IBM, Samsung and GlobalFoundries) are all relying on IBM's expertise. IBM has individual licensing side-deals with UMC and SMIC.
The issue is further complicated by IBM's recent effort to sell its chip business.
In conclusion, there are four large uncertainties. Firstly, IBM has a history of encountering delays in transitioning from a single lab wafer to mass manufacture. Secondly, IBM's partners are currently two years behind TSMC and their yield (70%?) is probably still lower than TSMC (95%?). This means TSMC still has better technology at 28nm, lower cost for itself and customers per wafer, and higher profit margins. This gives TSMC an advantage to invest more money into R&D for the next generation of semiconductors.
Thirdly, can IBM make a smooth transition from 28nm gate-first to 20nm gate-last? Finally, will IBM's effort to sell its chip business result in delays for the Common Platform Alliance, UMC, and SMIC?
There is a fifth major problem. Let's say SMIC catches up to TSMC in manufacturing technology. Does that mean it's a level playing field? No. TSMC has 30 years of libraries, IP (intellectual property), and tools. That is the reason Intel's SoFIA chips will be manufactured at TSMC in 2015.
TSMC has advantages in addition to cutting-edge 20nm RISC-based process technology.
"TSMC is the world’s largest dedicated semiconductor foundry, providing the industry’s leading process technology and the foundry’s largest portfolio of process-proven libraries, IP, design tools and reference flows."
----------
"Intel's SoFIA Could Be A Real Bombshell - Seeking Alpha
Dec 2, 2013 - SoFIA is Intel's integrated applications processor, cellular baseband, and ... The shocker, however, is that this chip will be built at TSMC."
----------
"How Intel is buying, building a piece of the tablet market | PCWorld
Jan 18, 2014 - Intel has an ambitious goal for 2014: get its Atom chips into 40 million tablets, ... Bay Trail until new Atom chips code-named Broxton and SoFIA come out in 2015. ... not in Intel's own fabs but by contract manufacturer TSMC."
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Equation
Lieutenant General
China's SMIC is world's fifth-largest semiconductor chip foundry | IC Insights
Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) is China's largest semiconductor manufacturer. (Photo credit: )
According to the latest data from IC Insights (see chart below), China's Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) is the world's fifth-largest semiconductor chip foundry.
As China's largest semiconductor manufacturer, SMIC had a great year in 2013. SMIC revenue boomed year-over-year by 28% to total $1.97 billion.
There is more good news. SMIC has started initial production of 28nm chips.
----------
TSMC and GlobalFoundries Led Foundry Market in 2013 – IC Insights.
Top 13 Foundries Account for 91% of Total Foundry Sales in 2013
[01/29/2014 11:55 PM]
by Anton Shilov
[Note: IDM is an acronym for "integrated device manufacturer." An IDM manufactures semiconductor chips like a foundry and also sells the chips inside its own consumer electronics products.]
----------
"SMIC Starts Supplying 28nm CMOS
Peter Clarke
27 January 2014
China's leading indigenous chip manufacturer Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (Shanghai, China) has announced that it has completed the development of two manufacturing processes at the 28nm node and put its first 28nm multiproject wafer (MPW) run through a fab at the end of 2013.
SMIC is now able to supply 28nm polysilicon gate and 28nm high-k dielectric metal gate (HKMG) processes and said it has a library of over 100 cores available developed by third-party IP partners and internally at SMIC.
SMIC said the first MPW run was used by SMIC and customers for verification of process and circuits and that it would run more MPWs during 2014 but did not indicate how quickly it would move to volume production of 28nm wafers. Previously it had been reported that SMIC would gain first revenues from 28nm polysilicon-gate in 3Q14 and from 28 HKMG in 2H15.
SMIC is offering two 28nm processes in a manner similar to Taiwan foundries TSMC and United Microelectronics Corp. and no doubt in the hope it can take some of their business on price. TSMC has dominated the ramp up of 28nm foundry manufacturing and in the fourth quarter of 2013 28nm process technology was responsible for about one third of its sales of NT$145.81 billion (about $4.8 billion). According to IHS' forecasts, the pure-play foundry revenue potential for 28nm will continue to rise with a CAGR of 19.4 percent from 2012 to 2017.
The 28nm manufacturing processes have been mainly used for mobile and consumer equipment such as smartphones and tablet computers, set-top boxes and networking ICs. TSMC ramped the volume supply of 28nm wafers to customers in 2011 which puts SMIC about three years behind TSMC but only a couple of years behind Globalfoundries and UMC. (article continues)"
-----
"SMIC Unveils 28nm Readiness and MPW Milestone
SHANGHAI, Jan. 26, 2014 -- Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation ("SMIC"，NYSE: SMI; SEHK: 981) , China's largest and most advanced semiconductor foundry, announced today that its 28nm technology has been process frozen and the company has successfully entered Multi Project Wafer (MPW) stage to support customer's requirements on both 28nm PolySiON (PS) and 28nm high-k dielectrics metal gate (HKMG) processes. Over 100 IPs from multiple third party IP partners as well as SMIC's internal IP team are prepared to serve various projects from worldwide design houses that have been showing interest in SMIC 28nm processes.
28nm process technologies primarily target mobile computing and consumer electronics related applications, such as Smartphone, Tablets, TV, Set-top Boxes and networking. It provides customers high performance application processors, cellular baseband, wireless connectivity etc. According to IHS' forecasts, the pure-play foundry revenue potential for 28nm will continue to rise with a CAGR of 19.4% from 2012 to 2017.
'I am pleased to announce the successful 28nm process milestone, which enables SMIC to better position itself in engaging and serving mobile computing related customers," said Dr. Tzu-Yin Chiu, Chief Executive Officer & Executive Director of SMIC. "As the first foundry in mainland China to offer 28nm process technologies, this significant milestone demonstrates SMIC's continuous growing capabilities in offering leading foundry technologies to worldwide IC designers.'
"The first SMIC 28nm MPW shuttle included both 28PS and 28HKMG related customer products for verification, which was already launched at the end of 2013 as planned," said Dr. Shiuh-Wuu Lee, Executive Vice President of Technology Development of SMIC. 'By taking more MPW shuttles in 2014, we will continue to take more positive steps to strengthen and diversify our technology offerings and meet customers' growing demands on both advanced and differentiated technologies.'"
Wow...I see a lot of Taiwan's, China, and S. Korea companies are on the top of the list, of course IBM (US) is still there because they are not as flashy as Apple but still attract quite a number of good engineers.
IT'S good to hear from you again Martian!