Retreat is a big word. Setting up a new factory in a new country with new employees presents many challenges. If you build a new product there, you don’t make things easy.

So it’s logical to copy an existing process somewhere, so that you know what the machines are (buy the ones you have now) and you know how the performance should be. You have time to adjust the machines and, if necessary, make adjustments to the new climatic conditions. Or other (local) ingredient supplier influence, i.e. your chemical composition is slightly different. It also provides space for training employees.

With new space under your control, you can move on to new developments. You also know where to look for solutions when problems arise. You’ve been able to solve years of teething problems that otherwise make troubleshooting a real nightmare.

Don’t forget, these types of factories represent a test run where you throw in 1 wafer now and get the final result in 3 months. Some process steps easily take a day’s work. So you can’t ‘just’ make changes to your process or quickly collect datasets.

Edit: The factory is already ready, the construction has already started in 2021 and the equipment will be delivered and installed from this year. They hope to operate at 20% capacity by 2024 and expand steadily in the following years.
That’s all 5nm, 3nm will come years later.

[Reactie gewijzigd door Xanaroth op 21 november 2022 12:25]