Semiconductor technology is undoubtedly the important power to promote the progress of human civilization, from computers, mobile phones to the present action of operation and intelligence device, semiconductor, also won't appear these repeated change human life outlook of science and technology. Now, semiconductor technology to promote another new change again, which is known as the "NEXT Big Thing," the Internet of things going.
According to market research firm IC Insights study, from 2015 to 2019, the Internet of things application system revenue to double, to $124.5 billion in 2019 from the size of the market, the Internet of things on the number of new links will reach 3.054 billion in 2019.
Wave for the semiconductor industry, however, the Internet of things drive is not only a lot of consumer electronics and Internet connections, at the same time also prompted the processor, data center, and information computing power of mobile devices is getting stronger and stronger, it's depends on the advanced and special processing technology continues to develop, to achieve the required processing power, links, ultra-low power consumption, various sensors and advanced encapsulation system level integration and so on, and these new demand will drive the semiconductor market growth.
Iot IC demand driven process technology
According to the IC Insights forecasts, to 2019, the Internet of things IC sales up to $19.436 billion, 2015 and 2019 the average compound growth rate of 15.9% of the 4 years. Among them, the Internet of things application will accelerate photoelectric discrete semiconductor devices, sensors, actuators, and strong growth, sales could reach $4.621 billion in 2015, is expected to sales to grow to $11.647 billion in 2019, the average compound growth rate of 26% for 4 years.
Second, is also a strong growth is a microcontroller (MCU) and single chip processor, the next four years the average compound growth rate of 22.3%. Next, memory related sales compound growth rate of 19.8%, application-specific standard products IC is 16.4%, analog IC is 12.7%.
As the smartphone growth slowing, Internet of things become drive the next wave of the semiconductor market growth, many international well-known semiconductor companies already active layout. TSMC as foundries, devoted to creation networking ecological supply chain. TSMC cooperation with mediatek is one of the results.
Cooperation with mediatek, TSMC is the use of TSMC 55 nanometer ultra low power technology in the production of mediatek MT2523 series products, this series products are mediatek designed solely for sports and fitness with wisdom watch solution, also is the world's first highly integrated GPS, dual-mode bluetooth, low power consumption at the same time support high resolution MIPI display screen system package (SiP) chip solutions.
In the case of cooperation, provide TSMC 55 nanometer ultra low power consumption process (55 ulp), 40 nanometers ultra-low power consumption process (40 ulp), 28 nanometers high performance thin potent version of the process (28 HPC +), and 16 nanoscale FinFET potent version of the process (16 ff +), the process suitable for all kinds of energy saving benefit of smart iot and wearable products, main appeal is iot chip design emphasis of ultra-low power.
In addition, always maintain the leading position in process technology of TSMC, are also expected to 10/7 to endure metric distance attack new markets, including advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS), such as car networking chip, and is about to become the mainstream of the Internet of things in the coming years, chip applications.
8 inch wafer and special process To regain market opportunities
As a whole, in addition to some things need to adopt advanced semiconductor chip manufacturing technology, it is important to note that the Internet of things take up the sensor needs, also let 8 inch wafer plant to be taken seriously, why? Material according to the international semiconductor equipment industry association (SEMI) report, Internet of things in the needs of a large number of sensors, there are many crystal using more than 90 nanometers process mass production, this has prompted many existing 8 "plant expansion project is put forward, and even around the world have more than 8" new fabs.
SEMI forecasts 8 inch wafer production capacity by 2018, the world will grow to 5.43 million pieces per month, back is equivalent to 2006 levels, and foundries will have 43% of the world's 8 inch wafer production capacity, a 14% increase in 2006.
In addition, the Internet of things device for low power microcontrollers, radio frequency communication, driving, touch panel, power devices and sensors, etc., most do not have to be to cutting-edge process production, and even some products require the use of special process technology, thus also to have the special process capability are researched a new land, for example, the rise of gallium arsenide PA is a example.
PA's main function is to amplify the signal, in the Internet of be particular about high speed data transmission, low power consumption demands, driven by high frequency, high efficiency, low noise, low consumption of electric characteristics such as gallium arsenide PA, CMOS PA is more suitable for the Internet of things, and with the SiP (system level packaging) mature, SiP PA package volume can be narrowed, thus can be expected as the Internet popularization, the related PA market will further expand the scale, this also let with gaas process abilities' business opportunities.
Comply with a small amount of diverse characteristics Mini fabs
In addition, the rise of the Internet of things, also may contribute to another with the semiconductor process equipment larger, more expensive contrary trend. Locking iot demand for small quantity, various sensors, the Japanese economy, trade and industry combined with 140 Japanese companies, group joint development of new generation manufacturing systems, this is a "mini fabs" (Minimal Fab).
"Mini fabs" starts at just 500 million yen (nt $170 million). This mini fabs development goal is to hope that through the greatly reduced cost and technical threshold, automobile and home appliance manufacturers can produce our needed for semiconductors and sensors. "Mini fabs" by building the required minimum area is about two tennis courts, is only one percent of a 12 inch fabs. Production line of the machine about the size and beverage vending machines, these units are able to wash, heating, exposure, and other functions.
Why "mini fabs" could be so low, why smaller? In addition to the main reason is the clean room requirements, and adopt the key technology of local clean, and the results produced special transportation system "Minimal Shuttle", solenoid control switch is used to prevent dust from entering. Another reason is without the use of mask, so can greatly reduce the cost. Mini fabs focuses on the concept of Internet of things era needs is a variety of small amount of production system, to handle the wafer is about 0.5 inches in diameter, the wafer is small, production equipment, of course, also can take a narrow.
It is understood that in this mini fabs, chips on the wafer cutting down the size of about 1 square centimeter or so. "Mini fabs" annual output is about 500000, the general 12-inch fabs is two hundred million. The "mini fabs" front process of semiconductor devices has roughly r&d and start selling. 2018 years ago, is expected to cut back end of the chip functions and encapsulation process equipment will be developed.
With emphasis on the standardization and mass production of computer, mobile phone market is different, the application of Internet of things is very divergent, it also makes the diversity of semiconductor manufacturers must consider the application of Internet of things a small amount of features, and then work out in the future the development of the Internet era and market strategy, so to climb another industry as the new wave peak.
