Essential of Semiconductors – Foundry
- 23.09.2024
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- Introduction
- Semiconductor Industry Value Chain
- Raw Wafer Processing
- Chip Manufacturing Main Steps
- Assembly, Test, and Packaging
- Market Outlook
- Challenges
In resume
Semiconductors or "chips" enable key data processing, storage, and transmission functions to operate in electronic equipment. They can be found practically in any small and simple device or large and sophisticated equipment. Chips are also known today as the "new oil" of digital era. Foundries are an essential part of the complex semiconductor value chain enabling the manufacturing of chips through a long process involving critical steps with sophisticated equipment. Despite experiencing downward trends in 2023, the foundry market, which reached $115 billion that year, has already shown improvements in the first two quarters of 2024 and is expected to continue trending upwards until at least 2028." This document aims at illustrating and explaining the complexity of chip manufacturing, requiring skilled workforce and increasingly facing environmental challenges. It will also provide a market analysis with an outlook to 2028.
Written with Damien Liquard (Intern)
Foundries are high tech factories equipped with sophisticated equipment that perform automated steps. They follow strict industry standards. Each foundry is dedicated to specific node sizes. Therefore, it is crucial for foundries to consistently invest in new fabs to keep up with the semiconductor innovation race. Foundries are part of the front-end semiconductor manufacturing. Some of the biggest fabs can produce over 100 000 wafers per month each containing multiple chips. These foundries play a key role in the complex value chain.
Rabindra RENGARADJALOU, Ingénieur-Conseil