TSMC Japan plant, will introduce 12nm
Creation Date
By Lzchips
In recent years, TSMC, a leading chip manufacturer, has been actively expanding its overseas production base, setting up new factories in the United States and Japan. Japanese media reported that TSMC in Japan Kumamoto Prefecture, Kikuyo Town, a new plant, to be related equipment, such as one after another stationed, is expected to be held on February 24, 2024 opening ceremony, and is expected to join the end of 2024 to 28-nanometer product production lineup, began production.
The Kumamoto Daily News reported that construction of the Kumamoto plant began in April 2022, and the main structure of the building has been completed, and part of the office building will be available for use in August 2023, and production equipment will be moved in from October.
TSMC's Kumamoto plant is part of Japan Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing (JASM), a joint venture between TSMC and Sony Semiconductor.
In terms of the production line's direction of development next year, the report pointed out that the Kumamoto plant will introduce 12-28nm production lines in the future, which are expected to be unveiled on February 24, 2024, and will be put into production by the end of the same year.
In addition, TSMC has talked about in the past, if you want to build a second factory in Japan, will give priority to the landing in Kumamoto Prefecture, the future has the opportunity to introduce more advanced process lines, also expressed the factory site may be located next to the Kumamoto plant.
Japan Economic News reported that Japan's retailers have to take action in view of the business opportunities, operating large supermarkets and shopping centers IZUMI company in Kumamoto County, Kikuyo Town branch, the addition of a Taiwan food zone and high-priced gift shop, predicting the demand for people related to the Kumamoto plant; in order to seize the spillover effect of the TSMC plant, Japan's Ideal Home (Nitori) Holding Company is also in the neighboring areas In order to seize the spillover effect of TSMC's plant, Nitori Holding has also set up stores in neighboring areas.
TSMC Japan joint venture plant, capacity distribution
December 30 news, according to foreign media reports, TSMC 2021 announced the establishment of a joint venture in Kumamoto County, Japan, the construction of the fab, has started construction last year, is currently undergoing the installation of equipment, there is news that will be held in February next year, the opening ceremony, may be in April to start trial production, the fourth quarter of next year on the start of commercial production.
With the expected opening ceremony of this factory time is approaching, about this factory put into production after the news is also emerging, there have been foreign media in the report mentioned the mass production of the initial production capacity allocation situation.
From the foreign media reports, a research organization said in the report, TSMC Japan joint venture factory will focus on 22/28 nm and 12/16 nm process technology, in the initial stage, most of the capacity will be allocated to the CMOS image sensor required for the image signal processor, as part of Sony's outsourcing.
As for the remaining capacity, the research house in its report is mentioning that it will be dedicated to foundry work for automotive parts maker Denso, who outsources automotive microcontrollers, with reports suggesting that they have access to a capacity of around 10,000 wafers per month.
Most of the capacity of TSMC's Japan JV plant is used for OEM for Sony, and the remainder for Denso, which means that all of their initial production capacity for this plant will be used for OEM for the two joint ventures, Sony and Denso.
TSMC in Japan, the joint venture's factory, the initial plan of production capacity is 45,000 12-inch wafers per month, in the increase of 12/16 nm process, the monthly production capacity is increased to 55,000 wafers.
However, it is worth noting that, in the early stage of mass production, TSMC Japan joint venture plant's monthly production capacity, will not reach the capacity of 55,000 12-inch wafers per month. In previous reports, some foreign media mentioned that the joint venture president Yuichi Horita revealed in a speech, in the fourth quarter of next year after the start of commercial production, the factory's production capacity will be gradually increased, the ultimate goal is to achieve the monthly production of 55,000 12-inch wafers target.