Semiconductor Industry Introduction

The 20th century was a period of rapid scientific and technological advancements.

Atomic energy, semiconductors, lasers, and computers are known as the four major inventions of the 20th century.

This article will provide you with basic knowledge about the semiconductor industry.

What is a semiconductor

In a broad sense, a semiconductor is a chip, also known as an integrated circuit, which are equivalent terms.

A semiconductor is a type of material that can be divided into four categories: integrated circuits, sensitive devices, optoelectronic devices, and discrete components, with integrated circuits accounting for over 80%.

Semiconductor Industry Value Chain

The value chain of the semiconductor industry can be simply divided into three stages: IC design, wafer manufacturing and processing, and packaging and testing.

1. IC DesignThis refers to the design of integrated circuits, also known as chip design.

2. Wafer Manufacturing and ProcessingIntegrated circuits need to be fabricated on a single wafer, involving processes such as pulling, cutting, coating, lithography, etching, and ion implantation.

3. Packaging and TestingThis involves packaging and testing the completed integrated circuits in protective cases to prevent damage or corrosion. Equipment such as die saws, wire bonders, flip-chip machines, and sorting testers are used.

Wafer manufacturing and processing are the core processes of chip manufacturing, which are much more difficult than packaging and testing. The investment in equipment for this stage is very large, accounting for more than 70% of the total equipment investment. The investment in equipment for packaging and testing is approximately 15% and 10% of the total equipment investment, respectively.