United Microelectronics (UMC) on November 16 held an opening ceremony for a 12-inch wafer fab in Xiamen, China, according to the Taiwan-based pure-play foundry.

The new 12-inch fab dubbed Fab 12X has achieved its volume production stage just 20 months after groundbreaking, UMC indicated. Pilot production yields for communication ICs at the fab have already exceeded 99% on the foundry's 40nm process.

Fab 12X is part of a 3-way joint venture foundry company between UMC, Xiamen Municipal Government and Fujian Electronics and Information Group. The JV foundry, named United Semi, will initially offer 55nm and 40nm process technologies and has its target monthly capacity set at 50,000 wafers.

"Owing to the tireless teamwork of our suppliers, facilities management and engineering teams, we have realized successive, noteworthy milestones since United Semi broke ground in March 2015," said UMC CEO Po-Wen Yen. "We achieved cleanroom readiness and equipment move-in within a year, and pilot run verification to mass production in only eight months."

By: DocMemory
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