Despite the recent global market demand in some areas has come to a bottleneck, but benefited from the mobile computing industry is still strong demand for semiconductors, Taiwan's semiconductor foundry giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), in June 2013 the consolidated revenue reached a new NT $ 54.028 billion yuan, MoM to 4.3%, YoY and up 24.3%. Meanwhile, in 2013 Q2 revenue of NT $ 155.887 billion yuan settlement, quarterly growth (QoQ) 17.4%, both record highs.
Mobile computing industry, semiconductor demand is still strong, but whether it can continue with this situation?
What is the one category of products to TSMC's foundry orders a Roll it? The most important is the company's 28-nanometer process OEM orders, strong demand from international companies strong in April 2013, it consolidated revenue for the first time allow a single month more than NT $ 50 billion in May as is the growth in June revenues continue up the third consecutive month, the highest single-month sales record.
On the market side, in addition to Europe and other mature markets, emerging market for mobile computing applications has continued to strong demand in the second quarter, the gross profit margin on TSMC look this season, which is about 47.5% to 49.5% in between , the performance is quite good. As for the outlook for the third quarter, TSMC going to be released until July 18.
But for Technology Daily News recently observed, in 2013 Q3, whether the PC market, the smart phone market, and even the tablet PC market, there may be varying degrees of slowdown phenomenon will affect the semiconductor OEM orders, our view tend to short-term optimism.
Currently the supply chain of information obtained from that TSMC in the third quarter of 2013 will have a processor from Apple iPhone OEM orders, expected performance will still grow. But by 2013 Q4, might be TSMC's revenue peak in 2013 to 2014 to grow, there will be some degree of difficulty, depending on the 20-nanometer products smooth degree, and 20 nm and below process development.
(Photo Credit: TSMC, TSMC 15 plants)
20 nm and 20 nm and below process IC phone or tablet affect the performance and power consumption?
This is because, from 45 nm to 32 nm, 28 nm process, so build out of the ARM processor in the system energy consumption has been great progress, but also can improve chip performance computing. And the current mobile computing market, for single-core, dual-core performance has become increasingly unable to meet, quad-core is already the mainstream high-end phones, but has been out of computing performance, chip power consumption level will increase.
Therefore, the semiconductor manufacturing process must continue to move forward because as 28nm if progress to 20-nanometer process, so that four core ARM processors used in smart phones, to save energy consumption 25% to 40% are possible thing, with better software and power management technology, mobile computing capabilities of human desire, only way to meet, as well as create a more sophisticated mobile computing products, performance and battery life try to be able to combine.
Again is the 20-nanometer process costs will be higher than 28 nm high, but also actively develop semiconductor foundry manufacturers, in addition to each grab one outside, but also want a solid future gross margin.
TSMC 20 nm and 20 nm and below process developments
Just semiconductor manufacturers Xilinx (Xilinx) also announced on July 10, the use of programmable ASIC-level architecture UltraScale TSMC 20nm All Programmable IC components, estimated in 2013 Q4 shipments. This means that the second half of 2013, TSMC's 20-nanometer process progress is to be the standard volume production shipments expected in 2013 Q4 inject more revenue. Before this can be said and Xilinx 28nm high-performance low-power research and development process (28HPL) the same way as when the demand for high-end FPGA into TSMC's 20 nanometer SoC development process, the two companies put together in 28nm successful experience, continue to extend to the 20-nanometer process.
(Photo Credit: TSMC, TSMC 12 plants)
Currently TSMC's Fab12 in Hsinchu Science Park, 20-nanometer process equipment has been installed in, Q4 will be able to mass production, but more down the manufacturing process, and is currently still too early to talk about really, when the wafer size larger point 18 inch, process smaller, but must be two years after the thing. As TSMC in Taiwan Tainan plant, 20-nanometer process equipment and plant construction are in progress, the first half of 2014 will be in volume production.
Technology Daily News that if the 20 nm and below process, TSMC continues to cooperate with international companies and is expected to accelerate the introduction of 16-nanometer process. However, the current advanced nanometer semiconductor in practice has not yet fully mature, R & D expenditures and variables still, 3D IC process technology is expected to have a certain amount in the market, is also of concern.
