Market research firm IC Insights recently released the latest full chip production report from 2016 to 2020, according to global operations in 12 inches (300 mm) fabs number continues to grow, expected to reach 100 in 2016.

Other IC Insights report about 12 "fabs mainly include:

In 2013, there are several scheduled opening of fabs delay in 2014; And with the Taiwan industry ProMOS (ProMOS) two large 12 inch plant closed in 2013, lead to the number of 12 inch fabs in operating in 2013 for the first time to reduce.

, by the end of 2015, there are 95 production level of the world's IC factory USES the 12-inch wafer (there is a lot of research and development studio and a few production of IC products, such as volume production of CMOS image sensor fabs, but is not included in the statistics).

, at present there are eight global 12-inch fabs is expected in 2017, is likely to make the year since 2014, there are nine fabs began operating, the second highest number fabs began operating.

Again, by the end of 2020, the world is expected to have 22 12-inch wafer plant operation, let the world used in IC production 12-inch wafer plant a total of 117 seats. 18 inches (450 mm) and if the wafer into mass production, 12-inch fabs peak number can be up to around 125 seats; And 8 inches (200 mm) in operating production the highest number of fabs is 210 (in December 2015, 148).

12-inch fabs number continues to grow

12-inch wafer factory today can be quite large, but they are in the form of a kind of modularization and equipment; Each "modules" usually have 25 k to 45 k a month wafer production capacity, and with the closest fabs module closely linked; Taiwan semiconductor manufacturing co (TSMC) has taken this modularization scheme optimization, the overall 12, 14 and 15 points are expanding in stages.

And 18 inch wafer technology continues to mass production, although the pace not best not fire; And because of the lithography technology is transferred to one of the biggest challenges of 18-inch wafers, equipment providers ASML in March 2014, announced it would temporarily delay 18-inch wafers equipment development, industry experts think this is a signs of department of 18-inch wafers may never happen.

ASML also pointed out that the delay 18-inch wafers equipment development decision is based on the customer's requirements. IC Insights don't think it means 18-inch wafers will be stillborn, but the pilot production of the size of a wafer is likely to happen after 2019, while mass production is more 2 ~ 3 years.