Despite market many 300mm wafer fabs starting up in 2023
Cette publication existe aussi en Français
Despite market weakness 13 additional 300mm wafer fabs will start production in 2023, according to market research firm Knometa Research Corp.
Many of these are intended to produce discrete power semiconductors with demand driven by the electrification of automobiles.
At the end of 2022 Knometa reckons there were 167 semiconductor fabs processing 300mm-diameter wafers for the fabrication of ICs, including CMOS image sensors, and non-IC products such as power discretes. This will rise to 180 by the end of 2023.
300mm wafer fabs opening in 2023. Source: Knometa Research Corp.
The additional 300mm wafer fabs being brought online in 2023 are slated for the production of power transistors, advanced logic, and foundry services. Of the 13 300mm wafer fabs opening in 2023, five are focused on the production of non-IC products, with three of them located in China and two in Japan. Two-thirds of the new 300mm fabs opening this year are for foundry services, with four of them wholly dedicated to the service of fabricating semiconductors for other companies on a foundry basis.
Number of wafer fabs processing 300mm-diameter wafers each year; 2008 to 2027 (forecast). Source: Knometa Research
Based on construction schedules as of late 2022, the boom in wafer fab construction will continue 15 and 17 due to begin production in 2024 and 2025, respectively. With some of the capex cutbacks announced in 2023 some fabs previously scheduled to open in 2024 could be delayed to 2025. But by 2027, the number of 300mm fabs in operation should exceed 230, Knometa said.
300mm wafer fabs have previously only been economic for chips with large die sizes and high volumes. Typically, this was digital ICs. However, analog ICs and now discrete power semiconductors have now reached sufficient volume to keep a 300mm fab loaded at a cost-effective production level.
STMicroelectronics formed two separate partnerships to add new 300mm fab capacity at existing sites in Crolles, France, and Agrate, Italy. In Crolles, ST is working with GlobalFoundries to add new capacity for advanced logic and foundry services. In Agrate, ST and Tower Semiconductor are adding capacity for mixed-signal, power, RF, and foundry services.
The current chip market recession is largely driven by lack of demand for NAND and DRAM for inclusion in smartphones and computers. This is amplified by accompanying weakness in average selling prices for these memory components. Not surprisingly, no 300mm wafer fabs for memory are opening in 2023.
Related links and articles:
News articles:
Memory dominates leading-edge chip manufacture
Aggressive fab spending won’t lead to chip glut, says Knometa
Europe makes just 5 percent of global IC wafers, says Knometa
If you enjoyed this article, you will like the following ones: don't miss them by subscribing to :
