Array
(
    [content] => 
    [params] => Array
        (
            [0] => /forum/index.php?threads/why-are-there-new-200mm-fabs.16822/
        )

    [addOns] => Array
        (
            [DL6/MLTP] => 13
            [Hampel/TimeZoneDebug] => 1000070
            [SV/ChangePostDate] => 2010200
            [SemiWiki/Newsletter] => 1000010
            [SemiWiki/WPMenu] => 1000010
            [SemiWiki/XPressExtend] => 1000010
            [ThemeHouse/XLink] => 1000970
            [ThemeHouse/XPress] => 1010570
            [XF] => 2021370
            [XFI] => 1050270
        )

    [wordpress] => /var/www/html
)

Why are there new 200mm fabs?

jms_embedded

Active member
I just ran across a couple of articles mentioning SEMI's recent report on 200mm fab capacity. I was going to guess that there was an increase in capacity expected, but surprised why the number of new 200mm fabs has gone up as much as it has in the last few years.

200mm_Fab_Outlook_to_2025_3Q22_Update.png

Why? The only reasons I can think of are:

  • - specialty fabs (example: MEMS or silicon carbide) where the leading technology is 200mm
  • - Chinese companies snapping up used 200mm equipment and building new fabs around the old equipment
Are there other reasons? I would have expected new fabs to be using 300mm equipment for the cost advantages, aside from the MEMS/SiC cases.
 
And I was expecting intel to be using 450mm by now. I was also expecting intel to have created light based processors by now too. I was also expecting to have 3nm chips in my hand using GAAFET transistors. I also was expecting graphene. But lets be serious.

There's no money to be made in graphene chips because they will be so super duper fast, you'll be alright with buying a smaller, cheaper version, that is still 1000x as fast as the cpu you're using today. So lets not make those chips.
Also making 450mm fabs are extra expensive, and that money is best served to buyback shares that the CEO and stockholders own.

yeah I am guessing the 200mm fabs are cheaper to build, cheaper to make, just overall cheaper. The cost advantages of 300mm is better for customers of the wafer fabbed. Not the fab owners themselves. I'm guessing specialty and Chinese.
 
Seems simple enough. If you need more capacity on a process running on 200mm, then the easiest way to get there is to keep using 200mm so that you don't have to invent anything. Just keep using the same recipes and same equipment.
 
And I was expecting intel to be using 450mm by now. I was also expecting intel to have created light based processors by now too. I was also expecting to have 3nm chips in my hand using GAAFET transistors. I also was expecting graphene. But lets be serious.

There's no money to be made in graphene chips because they will be so super duper fast, you'll be alright with buying a smaller, cheaper version, that is still 1000x as fast as the cpu you're using today. So lets not make those chips.
Also making 450mm fabs are extra expensive, and that money is best served to buyback shares that the CEO and stockholders own.

yeah I am guessing the 200mm fabs are cheaper to build, cheaper to make, just overall cheaper. The cost advantages of 300mm is better for customers of the wafer fabbed. Not the fab owners themselves. I'm guessing specialty and Chinese.

Used 200mm equipment has been flying out off the shelves so I'm not surprised. The utilization of those fabs have increased quite a bit as well.
 
Back
Top