TSMC expanding number of equipment suppliers for 7nm

[cirr]

TSMC expanding number of equipment suppliers for 7nm

Josephine Lien, Taipei; Jessie Shen, DIGITIMES [Tuesday 18 July 2017]

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is expanding the number of suppliers of equipment for its 7nm process in a bid to maintain an ecosystem pricing balance, according to industry sources.

Applied Materials, Lam Research, Tokyo Electron, Hitachi High Technologies and Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment (AMEC) are all being included in TSMC's supplier list for its 7nm process, the sources indicated. Of the companies, Tokyo Electron and Lam are expected to receive most demand from TSMC, the sources said.

AMEC is the only China-based fab toolmaker selected by TSMC for the foundry's 7nm process. AMEC will be the major etching equipment supplier of the foundry looking to ramp up production of 7nm chips in 2018, the sources noted.

AMEC is already among TSMC's equipment suppliers for the foundry's 28nm and 10nm processes, the sources said. Earlier in 2017, the China-based equipment maker struck a deal with ASML under which ASML will provide its technical guidance to strengthen AMEC's lithography technology capability.

AMEC is one of the two China-based semiconductor equipment companies supported financially by China's National Semiconductor Industry Investment Fund (known as the Big Fund). Incorporated in the Cayman Islands, AMEC has a goal of becoming top-5 semiconductor equipment vendor by 2050 with sales of CNY5 billion (US$740.6 million), company CEO Gerald Yin was quoted in previous reports.

According to TSMC's plan, the foundry's first-generation 7nm process will be ready for volume production in 2018. The second generation of TSMC's 7nm process, which will adopt extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography technology, will arrive a year later.

TSMC is confident in its first-generation 7nm process, dubbed N7, according to industry observers. TSMC has started to adopt deep UV (DUV) tools before EUV equipment becomes mature for production and therefore the N7 will still be competitive, the observers said.

TSMC's rival Samsung has disclosed its first-generation 7nm process will use EUV and is slated for launch in 2018.

Utilizing IBM's technology, Globalfoundries has developed its 7nm process in-house with volume production slated to kick off during 2018, according to the US-based foundry. Globalfoundries has not given an exact time frame for its EUV-based process technology, but said the offering will be available in 2019-2020.

TSMC 7nm technology ready for volume production in 2018
Photo: Digitimes file photo

http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20170718PD210.html

@TaiShang @Bussard Ramjet India?

 

[cirr]

Check out the leaked renders of Huawei Mate 10 featuring four cameras

Written By: Chandrika Jana

Published: Tuesday, July 18, 2017, 17:30 [IST]

Last month we reported that Huawei is all set to launch the successor of last year's Mate 9 in fall. Amidst many leaks, a Weibo user claimed that the upcoming Huawei Mate 9 will be featuring a bezel-less display and four cameras.

While there have been many reports regarding the smartphone, today we have come across a couple of alleged Huawei Mate 10 renders on Weibo. It is worth noting that the device has appeared in images for the very first time. Well, of course, the authenticity of these renders are not certified, but the design of the Huawei handset matches with the rumors we have heard so far.

If you take a look at the images, you can see the alleged Huawei Mate 10 sporting a bezel-less, full-screen display. Despite the presence of the front camera sensors, the top bezel is extremely narrow. You must have noticed that we have used the plural form of sensor. This is because the smartphone seems to be featuring not one but two camera sensors at the front.

Coming to the rear part of the device, the Huawei Mate 10 has a vertically arranged dual camera setup, which is accompanied by a LED flashlight. So, the phone would come with four cameras.

Display-wise, the handset is rumored to flaunt a 5.8-inch 2K display with the aspect ratio higher than that of the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus. Some reports also suggest that the fingerprint scanner will be placed below the display. While the latest renders of the Huawei Mate 10 hint towards the same possibility, chances of happening that are very low.

The source also claims that the front-camera setup will have two 16MP sensors, while the rear-facing setup will be consisting of two 34MP sensors.

Other than that, the smartphone is expected to be powered by the Kirin 970 processor and it will probably run on Android 7.1.1 Nougat right out of the box. Having said that, the Huawei Mate 10 could also ship with Android 8.0 O on board with Huawei's latest EMUI skin on top.

As we have mentioned earlier, the renders could be the work of some concept model designer. So until we get more solid proof, let's not take the pictures too seriously.

https://www.gizmochina.com/2017/07/18/huawei-mate-10-leak-exposing-specs-bezel-less-model-renders/

 

[Bussard Ramjet]

TSMC expanding number of equipment suppliers for 7nm

Josephine Lien, Taipei; Jessie Shen, DIGITIMES [Tuesday 18 July 2017]

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is expanding the number of suppliers of equipment for its 7nm process in a bid to maintain an ecosystem pricing balance, according to industry sources.

Applied Materials, Lam Research, Tokyo Electron, Hitachi High Technologies and Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment (AMEC) are all being included in TSMC's supplier list for its 7nm process, the sources indicated. Of the companies, Tokyo Electron and Lam are expected to receive most demand from TSMC, the sources said.

AMEC is the only China-based fab toolmaker selected by TSMC for the foundry's 7nm process. AMEC will be the major etching equipment supplier of the foundry looking to ramp up production of 7nm chips in 2018, the sources noted.

AMEC is already among TSMC's equipment suppliers for the foundry's 28nm and 10nm processes, the sources said. Earlier in 2017, the China-based equipment maker struck a deal with ASML under which ASML will provide its technical guidance to strengthen AMEC's lithography technology capability.

AMEC is one of the two China-based semiconductor equipment companies supported financially by China's National Semiconductor Industry Investment Fund (known as the Big Fund). Incorporated in the Cayman Islands, AMEC has a goal of becoming top-5 semiconductor equipment vendor by 2050 with sales of CNY5 billion (US$740.6 million), company CEO Gerald Yin was quoted in previous reports.

According to TSMC's plan, the foundry's first-generation 7nm process will be ready for volume production in 2018. The second generation of TSMC's 7nm process, which will adopt extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography technology, will arrive a year later.

TSMC is confident in its first-generation 7nm process, dubbed N7, according to industry observers. TSMC has started to adopt deep UV (DUV) tools before EUV equipment becomes mature for production and therefore the N7 will still be competitive, the observers said.

TSMC's rival Samsung has disclosed its first-generation 7nm process will use EUV and is slated for launch in 2018.

Utilizing IBM's technology, Globalfoundries has developed its 7nm process in-house with volume production slated to kick off during 2018, according to the US-based foundry. Globalfoundries has not given an exact time frame for its EUV-based process technology, but said the offering will be available in 2019-2020.

TSMC 7nm technology ready for volume production in 2018
Photo: Digitimes file photo

http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20170718PD210.html

@TaiShang @Bussard Ramjet India?

TSMC does this only to please Chinese politicians. It doesn't source much from Chinese suppliers. I have already cited earlier the shares of AMEC and other Chinese suppliers in Semiconductor Equipment Market. These are all in the range of 1-2% or even below.

As for India, India is in a different stage of development altogether, but we will soon, graduate to the next stage.

India's long term growth rate would be 7-8%, with inflation of 5% or so, along with possible currency appreciation.

This can make the nominal growth rate of India to be around 15%.

This above is the condition of the Chinese Semiconductor Equipment Supply Chain.

No company has even 2% of the market share.

And they have been on the supplier list of TSMC etc. for very long.

What does this mean?

That being on the supplier list means nothing.

Source:

http://www.semi.org/en/sites/semi.org/files/data15/docs/China_IC_industry_overview2015-4-23.pdf

 

[Han Patriot]

TSMC does this only to please Chinese politicians. It doesn't source much from Chinese suppliers. I have already cited earlier the shares of AMEC and other Chinese suppliers in Semiconductor Equipment Market. These are all in the range of 1-2% or even below.

As for India, India is in a different stage of development altogether, but we will soon, graduate to the next stage.

India's long term growth rate would be 7-8%, with inflation of 5% or so, along with possible currency appreciation.

This can make the nominal growth rate of India to be around 15%.

View attachment 412509

This above is the condition of the Chinese Semiconductor Equipment Supply Chain.

No company has even 2% of the market share.

And they have been on the supplier list of TSMC etc. for very long.

What does this mean?

That being on the supplier list means nothing.

Source:

http://www.semi.org/en/sites/semi.org/files/data15/docs/China_IC_industry_overview2015-4-23.pdf

 

[Bussard Ramjet]

Bro, I don't mind you saying Chinese equipment have low market share, but what has it got to do with Indian growth rate? . India doesn't even make simple semiconductor equipment, 100% is imported.

You should read how and why a conversation starts.

@cirr tagged me and asked "India? (along with a laughing smiley)"

So, I had two main points to make:

1. India, like China in the early 90s, is in another stage of development, so India can't feature here.
2. This news is highly misleading since AMEC, and other Chinese suppliers together own less than 1 or 2% of the market share. TSMC and others don't use their equipments as their main stuff. (even if they are on the suppliers list)

 

[Han Patriot]

You should read how and why a conversation starts.

@cirr tagged me and asked "India? (along with a laughing smiley)"

So, I had two main points to make:

1. India, like China in the early 90s, is in another stage of development, so India can't feature here.
2. This news is highly misleading since AMEC, and other Chinese suppliers together own less than 1 or 2% of the market share. TSMC and others don't use their equipments as their main stuff. (even if they are on the suppliers list)

If you can't make it just admit you can't. Why is the news misleading? They are one TSMC suppliers, and that was old data when they were less technological advance, their current equipment is world class, end of the year their new 5nm equipment is coming out, it will be world leading.

 

[Bussard Ramjet]

If you can't make it just admit you can't. Why is the news misleading? They are one TSMC suppliers, and that was old data when they were less technological advance, their current equipment is world class, end of the year their new 5nm equipment is coming out, it will be world leading.

Yes, we are not in a position today to make Semiconductor Equipment at any scale. Nor would it be prudent to attempt to make it in today's condition.

Is that okay?

As for AMEC, the article itself states that AMEC was a supplier for TSMC for 28 nm process. That however didn't make any dent in their market share, did it?

Also, how do you know that their equipment is "world leading"?

 

[Han Patriot]

Yes, we are not in a position today to make Semiconductor Equipment at any scale. Nor would it be prudent to attempt to make it in today's condition.

Is that okay?

As for AMEC, the article itself states that AMEC was a supplier for TSMC for 28 nm process. That however didn't make any dent in their market share, did it?

Also, how do you know that their equipment is "world leading"?

It doesn't matter if it made any dent, as long as there is a Chinese supplier, we can indigenously produce those chips, competitiveness is secondary, through experience and investment, things can improve. This company is less than 20 years old and is already making cutting edge technology.

 

[Bussard Ramjet]

It doesn't matter if it made any dent, as long as there is a Chinese supplier, we can indigenously produce those chips, competitiveness is secondary, through experience and investment, things can improve. This company is less than 20 years old and is already making cutting edge technology.

Why can't you understand the basic point?

This article mentioned that TSMC has listed AMEC as an official supplier. This news was presented as a very big thing, as if AMEC is ready to take on applied materials and lam research.

But that can't be further from the truth.

I am not saying you shouldn't attempt at getting better. But any attempt to get better for anyone first starts from understanding the ground reality. And the ground reality is that Chinese semiconductor equipment suppliers have less than 2 or even 1% share in the market, and even the share they have is due to political pressure, and huge discounts on equipment, and generous state funding.

 

[Han Patriot]

Why can't you understand the basic point?

This article mentioned that TSMC has listed AMEC as an official supplier. This news was presented as a very big thing, as if AMEC is ready to take on applied materials and lam research.

But that can't be further from the truth.

I am not saying you shouldn't attempt at getting better. But any attempt to get better for anyone first starts from understanding the ground reality. And the ground reality is that Chinese semiconductor equipment suppliers have less than 2 or even 1% share in the market, and even the share they have is due to political pressure, and huge discounts on equipment, and generous state funding.

This was the title of the article>
TSMC expanding number of equipment suppliers for 7nm

Can you tell me which part of it was misrepresented? it just says there are 3 main suppliers. You are the one going sour grape because you cannot believe a Chini company can make 7nm equipment and sell it to the worlds largest semicon fab.

What is your point exactly? What makes you think we don't understand that we need to compete. It was just an article, nobody was boastful at all. It will take another 10 years for Chinese equipment makers to be fully competitive not in terms of technology but sales. You see the difference? TSMC are not buying due to political pressure, they are buying because they need to diversify their suppliers to increase bargaining power. In actual fact they are less likely to buy more from AMEC because the same technology might be sold to SMIC. Understand?

 

[AndrewJin]

This was the title of the article>
TSMC expanding number of equipment suppliers for 7nm

Can you tell me which part of it was misrepresented? it just says there are 3 main suppliers. You are the one going sour grape because you cannot believe a Chini company can make 7nm equipment and sell it to the worlds largest semicon fab.

What is your point exactly? What makes you think we don't understand that we need to compete. It was just an article, nobody was boastful at all. It will take another 10 years for Chinese equipment makers to be fully competitive not in terms of technology but sales. You see the difference? TSMC are not buying due to political pressure, they are buying because they need to diversify their suppliers to increase bargaining power. In actual fact they are less likely to buy more from AMEC because the same technology might be sold to SMIC. Understand?

India is not china in 1990s.
1990s China did not have cows on the street. 1990s China was preparing for Olympics bidding.

 

[Jlaw]

India is not china in 1990s.
1990s China did not have cows on the street. 1990s China was preparing for Olympics bidding.

 

[hans]

Market share is not a critical.
Semiconductor industry requires huge funds, high tech, and a full supply chain, especially on special equipment.

China do not lack funds.
High tech and equipment supply chain is a problem.
From today`s data, you can see China is much better than a few years ago.
Comparing with world top competitor, still a long way to go.
And with sufficient fund support and huge market, personally I think China semiconductor industry will success

Yes, we are not in a position today to make Semiconductor Equipment at any scale. Nor would it be prudent to attempt to make it in today's condition.

Is that okay?

As for AMEC, the article itself states that AMEC was a supplier for TSMC for 28 nm process. That however didn't make any dent in their market share, did it?

Also, how do you know that their equipment is "world leading"?