It has given a glimpse of its situation, that is, that its production volume cannot be increased as much as expected. That's because it looks almost impossible, as in the case of other LSI makers, that the number of users requiring advanced processes is going to increase. Given this factor, TMSC is taking measures to promote use of advanced processes, including provision of design flows and reinforcement of a shuttle sample service.

TMSC did not so far achieve full-fledged launching of the 130nm process, with 130nm process technology products accounting for 10% or so of its total output in the past year. However, the situation has begun to improve only recently. In fact, with quantity output of 130nm products starting to grow in the second quarter, it is now expected that those products will stand at 15% to 20% of its total output, resulting in more than 400,000 sheets shipped per month through 2003.

When observing the application market of 130nm, mass production is going to break out not only with products regarded as a driving vehicle of TSMC's launching of the 130nm process, including conventional SRAM, FPGA and processors, but also with "major new products" (according to TSMC) in the telecommunications sector, as well as the digital consumer sector.

At some of the 130nm process plants, they said, the operating rate has reached 100%. The 300nm line, "Fab-12A," is on course to its expansion, augmenting its output by 2,000 wafers per month to 8,000 wafers per month at present.

In the 90nm fab, it has recently come out with a full mask set of a tape-out. The 90nm process technology products were commercialized based on 200mm wafers in the fall of 2002, responding to requests of some users. However, those users, one after another, canceled their orders in the course of working on specifications and making sample shipments.

Therefore, TSMC made a fresh start, leveraging its 300mm wafers. Examples of the products, through completing their tape-out in this fab, are baseband LSIs for telecommunications applications and others.

By: DocMemory
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