TSMC recently held their Open Innovation Platform (OIP) Ecosystem Forum event where many of their key partners presented on their latest projects and developments. This year one of their top IP provider partners, Analog Bits, gave two presentations. Analog building blocks have always been necessary as enabling technology … Read More
Design Technology Co-Optimization for TSMC’s N3HPC Process
TSMC recently held their 10th annual Open Innovation Platform (OIP) Ecosystem Forum. An earlier article summarized the highlights of the keynote presentation from L.C. Lu, TSMC Fellow and Vice-President, Design and Technology Platform, entitled “TSMC and Its Ecosystem for Innovation” (link).
One of the topics that L.C. … Read More
Highlights of the TSMC Open Innovation Platform Ecosystem Forum
TSMC recently held their 10th annual Open Innovation Platform (OIP) Ecosystem forum. The talks included a technology and design enablement update from TSMC, as well as specific presentations from OIP partners on the results of recent collaborations with TSMC. This article summarizes the highlights of the TSMC keynote from… Read More
Semiconductor CapEx too strong?
Semiconductor capital expenditures (CapEx) are on track for strong growth in 2021. For many companies the increase should continue into 2022. TSMC, the dominant foundry company, expects to spend $30 billion in CapEx in 2021, a 74% increase from 2020. TSMC announced in March it plans to invest $100 billion over the next three years,… Read More
Intel- Analysts/Investor flub shows disconnect on Intel, Industry & challenges
Analysts missed all warning signs until Intel spelled it out
12% stock drop shows disconnect and misunderstanding
No quick fix, this is a long term, uncertain problem & solution
Everyone ignored the obvious until it ran them over
A 12% stock drop is fault of investors/analysts not Intel
Whenever a stock drops 12% in one day there… Read More
TSMC Arizona Fab Cost Revisited
Back in May of 2020 I published some comparisons of the cost to run a TSMC fab in Arizona versus their fabs in Taiwan. I found the fab operating cost based on the country-to-country difference to only be 3.4% higher in the US and then I found an additional 3.8% because of the smaller fab scale. Since that time, I have continued to encounter… Read More
Podcast EP39: The History of TSMC with Dr. Walden Rhines
Dan is joined by Dr. Walden Rhines for a far-reaching discussion of the history of TSMC and the foundry business model. The past, present and potential future scenarios are all explored.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wally_Rhines
The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in these podcasts belong solely to the speaker,… Read More
The GlobalFoundries IPO March Continues
The GF Technology Summit was last week. It was virtual again this year but with a different format. It was a mix of live and recorded events which did include some cringe worthy moments but all-in-all it was well worth my time.
One of the biggest changes you will notice is the messaging. GF is no longer down in the technology trenches … Read More
Podcast EP38: Semianalysis on Intel GF TSMC and the Foundry Business
Dan is joined by Dylan Patel of Semianalysis.com covering Intel, GF, TSMC, the semiconductor shortage and more. This is a candid discussion between analysts on current semiconductor events.
The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in these podcasts belong solely to the speaker, and not to the… Read More
ASML is the key to Intel’s Resurrection Just like ASML helped TSMC beat Intel
-Intel’s access to high-NA EUV tools may be their elixir of life
-TSMC’s EUV adoption helped it vault faltering Intel & Samsung
-Maybe ASML should invest in Intel like Intel invested in ASML
-Shoe is on the other foot- But cooperation helps chip industry
Intel is dependent upon ASML for its entire future
If Intel… Read More


Available Is Not In Control: Balancing Output, Quality, and Risk in High-Volume Fabs