ASMC 2021 is organizing a panel discussion (May) to look at these issues (where will fabs be built and why). There are many ways to think about the past and many good points were made in this thread.
I would argue that the 200 to 300 mm transition was not kind to US manufacturers. Most did not make the cut. Additionally, in the era of the megafab (running on 300 mm), anything "game changing" has to be large and requires a lot of money and a lot of people.
The megafabs need tons of labors and Taiwan and Korea have proven very good a synchronizing thousands of engineers and PhDs and make them go in the same direction. We can match these countries in terms of innovation but not in execution, especially at that scale.
Finally, I would agree that the GE culture which has infected nearly all manufacturing activities in the USA has been very detrimental in the long run. It boils down to a Faustian bargain: command high prices through monopoly positions or get out. Most got out and here we are today. Short of WW3, IC manufacturing is unlikely to ever come back and if it does in a small way, it will be because Samsung and TSMC have run out of native talent.
I would argue that the 200 to 300 mm transition was not kind to US manufacturers. Most did not make the cut. Additionally, in the era of the megafab (running on 300 mm), anything "game changing" has to be large and requires a lot of money and a lot of people.
The megafabs need tons of labors and Taiwan and Korea have proven very good a synchronizing thousands of engineers and PhDs and make them go in the same direction. We can match these countries in terms of innovation but not in execution, especially at that scale.
Finally, I would agree that the GE culture which has infected nearly all manufacturing activities in the USA has been very detrimental in the long run. It boils down to a Faustian bargain: command high prices through monopoly positions or get out. Most got out and here we are today. Short of WW3, IC manufacturing is unlikely to ever come back and if it does in a small way, it will be because Samsung and TSMC have run out of native talent.