hist78
Well-known member
"The specific kinds of products we identified as having significant semiconductor supply and demand mismatches are used by critical industries, including medical devices, broadband, and autos. They include:
~ Microcontrollers that are primarily made of legacy logic chips, including, for example, at 40, 90, 150, 180, and 250 nm nodes
~ Analog chips including, for example, at 40, 130, 160, 180, and 800 nm nodes; and
~ Optoelectronics chips including, for example, at 65, 110, and 180 nm nodes."
My thoughts about this official study of semiconductor shortage:
The report did not even include 28nm (TSMC started mass production in 2011) in the supply shortage list. Looking at those nodes in short supply, 40, 65, 110, 130, 150, 160, 180, 250, and 800nm, I'm thinking how lucky those automobile manufacturers are. Now in 2022 there are fabs who are still willing to make chips based on those old processes with cheap price. But on the other hand, is it reasonable to expect fabs to keep investing a lot more capital and resources into those old process nodes? For many of those companies crying for chip supply, do they ask for a lot but pay too little? Here I quote some text from Wikipedia about 800nm, a node adopted by the industry 30 years ago:
"The 800 nm process refers to the level of MOSFET semiconductor fabrication process technology that was reached around the 1987–1990 timeframe, by leading semiconductor companies like NTT, NEC, Toshiba, IBM, Hitachi, Matsushita, Mitsubishi Electric and Intel."
The reality is no matter how much government and private money will invest in the new equipment and new fabs, I doubt they are willing to spend too much on those legacy nodes mentioned. There is no quick solution for auto makers or any companies need those chips based on old process technology.
~ Microcontrollers that are primarily made of legacy logic chips, including, for example, at 40, 90, 150, 180, and 250 nm nodes
~ Analog chips including, for example, at 40, 130, 160, 180, and 800 nm nodes; and
~ Optoelectronics chips including, for example, at 65, 110, and 180 nm nodes."
Results from Semiconductor Supply Chain Request for Information
OVERVIEW Over the past year, the Biden Administration has worked with the private sector to understand and address the global shortage of semiconductors. These computer chips are essential building blocks for an increasing number of products, from your cell phone and your car to other critical...
www.commerce.gov
My thoughts about this official study of semiconductor shortage:
The report did not even include 28nm (TSMC started mass production in 2011) in the supply shortage list. Looking at those nodes in short supply, 40, 65, 110, 130, 150, 160, 180, 250, and 800nm, I'm thinking how lucky those automobile manufacturers are. Now in 2022 there are fabs who are still willing to make chips based on those old processes with cheap price. But on the other hand, is it reasonable to expect fabs to keep investing a lot more capital and resources into those old process nodes? For many of those companies crying for chip supply, do they ask for a lot but pay too little? Here I quote some text from Wikipedia about 800nm, a node adopted by the industry 30 years ago:
"The 800 nm process refers to the level of MOSFET semiconductor fabrication process technology that was reached around the 1987–1990 timeframe, by leading semiconductor companies like NTT, NEC, Toshiba, IBM, Hitachi, Matsushita, Mitsubishi Electric and Intel."
The reality is no matter how much government and private money will invest in the new equipment and new fabs, I doubt they are willing to spend too much on those legacy nodes mentioned. There is no quick solution for auto makers or any companies need those chips based on old process technology.
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