為何台灣稱霸半導體產業? 半導體的極限到了嗎?|Taiwan Keywords EP10(ft.吳志毅、陳昌昇、黃逸平、顏誠廷)
Summary
TLDRThe video explores Taiwan's crucial role in the global semiconductor industry, highlighting its dominance in wafer manufacturing and the innovative practices of companies like TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company). It explains key concepts such as semiconductors, wafers, and integrated circuits, and how Taiwan became a global leader through specialization. The script traces the origins of Taiwan's semiconductor success back to collaborations with the U.S. and the foundation of UMC and TSMC. The discussion also touches on the challenges of advancing to smaller nanometer processes and the future potential of new materials.
Takeaways
- 🌐 Taiwan is globally renowned for its semiconductor and wafer foundry industry, with a significant share in global revenue.
- 🔬 Semiconductors, materials like silicon, germanium, and arsenic, are the foundation of modern electronics, used in everything from smartphones to cars.
- 🏭 TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company) plays a pivotal role in the industry, with a unique business model focusing solely on wafer manufacturing.
- 📈 TSMC's strategy of investing heavily during economic downturns has allowed them to capture significant market share in advanced semiconductor processes.
- 💹 The company's market value has skyrocketed, making it one of the world's most valuable companies, reflecting the importance of its role in the tech industry.
- ⚙️ The semiconductor manufacturing process is incredibly complex, involving hundreds of steps to create the tiny electronic components on a chip.
- 📊 Taiwan dominates the global market in semiconductor foundry, IC design, and packaging, with TSMC leading in foundry services.
- 🌟 The story of Taiwan's semiconductor industry began with a vision set in a humble soy milk shop, which later led to the establishment of key industry players like TSMC and UMC.
- 💼 The industry's success is tied to Taiwan's focus on specialization and the strategic support from its government, which helped create a robust supply chain.
- 🔍 As technology advances, the industry faces challenges like physical limitations and the need for new materials, yet it continues to innovate and push the boundaries of what's possible.
- 🌍 The geopolitical significance of semiconductors is growing, with implications for international relations and economic strategies, as seen in the actions of both the U.S. and Taiwan to strengthen their semiconductor industries.
Q & A
What is the significance of semiconductors in Taiwan's economy?
-Semiconductors are crucial to Taiwan's economy, with the semiconductor industry being a key driver of growth and innovation. In 2021, Taiwan's revenue from the wafer foundry industry accounted for 64% of the global market, and for high-end semiconductors of 10 nanometers and below, Taiwan accounted for 92% of the global capacity.
What is the difference between a semiconductor and a wafer?
-A semiconductor refers to materials like silicon, germanium, and arsenic that have properties between conductors and insulators, and are the primary materials used to make chips. A wafer, on the other hand, is a slice of monocrystalline silicon made from semiconductors, which serves as the base for creating chips with different diameter specifications like 8-inch or 12-inch.
What does the term 'VLSI' stand for, as mentioned in relation to TSMC?
-VLSI stands for 'Very Large Scale Integration,' which refers to the process of creating integrated circuits with a large number of electronic components on a single chip. TSMC is known for its expertise in VLSI technology, which involves the fabrication of complex electronic circuits on a wafer.
How did TSMC's business model differ from traditional semiconductor companies?
-TSMC introduced a new business model known as the 'foundry model,' where they focus solely on the manufacturing of chips without engaging in design. This allowed IC design companies to concentrate on product design and outsource the manufacturing to TSMC, which revolutionized the semiconductor industry's ecosystem.
What role did the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) play in the development of Taiwan's semiconductor industry?
-ITRI played a pivotal role by training a group of students who went on to receive semiconductor training at RCA in the U.S. These individuals later returned to Taiwan to establish a demonstration factory at ITRI, laying the groundwork for the industry. ITRI also facilitated the technology transfer that led to the formation of companies like TSMC and UMC.
Why did TSMC decide to invest over $100 billion in R&D and expansion over three years?
-TSMC's investment in R&D and expansion is aimed at maintaining its technological edge and market leadership in the semiconductor industry. This investment helps the company to continue innovating, developing advanced technologies, and increasing production capacity to meet growing global demand.
What challenges does the semiconductor industry face as transistor sizes approach atomic levels?
-As transistor sizes shrink to atomic levels, the industry faces physical limitations and challenges in material science. However, advancements in materials science and new manufacturing techniques, such as the use of graphene, gallium nitride, and silicon carbide, are being explored to push the boundaries of semiconductor technology.
How does TSMC's investment strategy during economic downturns, like the 2008 financial crisis, differ from other semiconductor companies?
-TSMC has a strategy of increasing investments during economic downturns, which allows them to capture larger market shares when the industry recovers. For instance, during the 2008 financial crisis, while other companies were cutting back, TSMC doubled its capital expenditure, which helped it dominate the market in 28-nanometer process technology.
What is the significance of Moore's Law in the context of TSMC's development?
-Moore's Law has been a guiding principle for TSMC, predicting that the number of transistors on a chip will double approximately every two years. TSMC has consistently followed this trend, shrinking transistor sizes and increasing chip performance, which has been crucial to its success.
How does Taiwan's semiconductor industry impact global technology and geopolitics?
-Taiwan's semiconductor industry is a critical component of the global technology supply chain, impacting everything from smartphone manufacturing to national security. The industry's success has also made it a focal point in international politics, with countries recognizing the strategic importance of securing a stable supply of advanced semiconductors.
What are some of the future challenges and opportunities for Taiwan's semiconductor industry?
-Future challenges include overcoming physical limitations of transistor scaling, developing new materials and manufacturing processes, and navigating geopolitical tensions. Opportunities lie in continued innovation, expansion into new markets, and the potential for increased demand for advanced semiconductors in various industries.
Outlines
🌐 Taiwan's Semiconductor Industry Overview
The script introduces Taiwan as a global leader in the semiconductor industry, focusing on wafer fabrication. It explains the significance of semiconductors, which are materials like silicon that lie between conductors and insulators, and are essential for creating integrated circuits on silicon wafers. The wafers, available in various diameters including 12 inches, serve as the substrate for these circuits. The script also touches on the complexity of the manufacturing process, leading to a vast downstream industry. It mentions TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company), highlighting its pivotal role in the global semiconductor supply chain, with a significant market share in advanced semiconductor manufacturing. The narrative sets the stage for exploring the development and future of Taiwan's semiconductor industry.
🏭 The Birth and Growth of Taiwan's Semiconductor Industry
This section delves into the history of Taiwan's semiconductor industry, starting with the establishment of the first semiconductor company, UMC, in 1980. It recounts how the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) played a crucial role by training students and laying the foundation for the industry. The return of张先生 (Zhang Zhongmou), who later founded TSMC in 1987, is highlighted as a turning point. The paragraph also discusses the evolution of the industry, from the initial training at RCA to the拆分 (spin-off) of companies like TSMC and UMC from ITRI. It emphasizes the importance of the professional wafer manufacturing model introduced by TSMC, which revolutionized the industry by allowing IC design companies to focus on design while outsourcing manufacturing.
📈 TSMC's Dominance and Global Semiconductor Landscape
The script discusses TSMC's strategic investments and its approach to maintaining a competitive edge in the semiconductor market. It mentions TSMC's decision to double down on investments during the 2008 financial crisis, which allowed it to capture a significant market share in 28-nanometer process technology. The paragraph also addresses the challenges and opportunities in advancing semiconductor technology, including the physical limitations as transistor sizes approach atomic levels. It outlines the ongoing efforts to push the boundaries through new materials and 3D processes, ensuring the continuation of Moore's Law. Furthermore, it highlights the geopolitical implications of the semiconductor industry, with TSMC's strategic importance in global supply chains and the company's proactive measures to understand and navigate the complex political and economic landscape.
🔮 The Future of Taiwan's Semiconductor Industry
In conclusion, the script ponders the future of Taiwan's semiconductor industry, acknowledging the challenges of sustaining its领先地位 (leading position) in the face of technological advancements and global competition. It raises questions about the industry's ability to overcome physical limitations and adapt to new materials and processes. The summary ends on a note of anticipation, suggesting that the strategies and innovations of companies like TSMC will be key to determining Taiwan's continued success in the semiconductor field.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Semiconductor
💡Wafer
💡Integrated Circuit (IC)
💡Nanometer Process
💡TSMC
💡Foundry
💡Moore’s Law
💡Chip Act
💡Geopolitical Influence
💡R&D and Capital Expenditure
Highlights
Taiwan is globally renowned for its semiconductor industry.
12-inch wafers are essential for semiconductor chip production.
Semiconductors are materials like silicon, germanium, and arsenic, which are intermediate between conductors and insulators.
Wafers are silicon slices used as the substrate for making chips.
TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company) plays a crucial role in the global semiconductor industry.
Taiwan's semiconductor industry includes IC design, wafer foundry, and IC packaging and testing.
TSMC's unique business model focuses on professional wafer manufacturing.
Taiwan's semiconductor industry's success is largely attributed to TSMC.
The origin of Taiwan's semiconductor industry dates back to a breakfast meeting at a soy milk shop in 1974.
The establishment of TSMC in 1987 was a pivotal moment for Taiwan's semiconductor industry.
TSMC's strategy of focusing on manufacturing rather than design has revolutionized the chip industry.
Taiwan's specialization in different segments of the semiconductor industry has led to global dominance.
The advancement of semiconductor technology has been driven by Moore's Law, which predicts the doubling of chip performance every 18 months to 2 years.
TSMC's investment strategy during economic downturns has solidified its market position.
The physical limitations of semiconductor manufacturing at the atomic scale are being pushed by TSMC.
Innovative materials like graphene and gallium nitride are being explored to超越 the limitations of silicon.
The geopolitical importance of semiconductors is increasing, with implications for Taiwan's strategic position.
The future of Taiwan's semiconductor industry will depend on its ability to innovate and adapt to new challenges.
Transcripts
臺灣以晶圓代工產業聞名全球
我手上拿的這片 就是12吋晶圓
它是半導體結晶的圓形切片
將其加工之後
就可以得到我們日常生活中
所有電子用品不可或缺的晶片
台灣最重要的關鍵字就是「半導體」
到底什麼是半導體?
這高科技晶片和我們每天喝的豆漿有什麼關係?
台灣是如何走到這一步?
未來又將往哪裡去?
大家好,我是鄭國威
泛科學科普平台的創辦人
這一集的Taiwan Keywords台灣關鍵字
將帶著觀眾了解臺灣的半導體產業
到底什麼是半導體?什麼是晶圓?
台積電全名中的積體電路又是什麼?
在節目開始之前
我要先來科普一下
解釋這些專有名詞
半導體指的是矽、鍺、砷
這類介於導體與絕緣體之間的物質
製作晶片的主要材料
晶圓是用半導體製成的矽晶圓片
製作晶片的基板
依直徑有分8吋、12吋等不同規格
在晶圓片上繪製積體電路
加工切割後,就可以製成晶片
因為過程非常繁複精密
形成龐大的下游產業鍊
積體電路則是晶片上的電子電路元件
電晶體、電阻、二極體等數億個元件
濃縮在一個小小的晶片上
形成積體電路
所謂的3奈米、2奈米製程
指的是電晶體閘極寬度
數字越小 電晶體的密度就越高
製造技術也越困難
台灣在半導體產業具有關鍵地位
2021年臺灣在晶圓代工產業的營收
就占了全球的64%
而10奈米以下的高階半導體
臺灣占了全球產能的92%
台灣半導體產業的組成大概包括幾個次產業
包括IC設計 然後晶圓代工 IDM
跟IC封裝測試這幾個領域
我們如果以2021年的全球的市佔率來看的話
IC設計是拿下24%的市佔率
然後晶圓代工是67%
IC封測是58%
所以半導體要產製的過程中間
絕大多數就是由台灣的半導體產業所貢獻
令人吃驚的是 台灣在半導體產業的卓越成績
極大部分竟只來自一家公司
台灣積體電路製造股份有限公司
簡稱台積電
新冠疫情後 然後美中貿易戰後
各國都發現說
就是這個半導體是
屬於國家安全跟供應鏈安全的重中之重
發現說如果沒有了台積電
我的汽車最先進的
比如說AI的晶片
我就做不出來
台積電創辦人張忠謀曾在記者會上驕傲地說
假如沒有台積電
智慧型手機不會那麼早出現
改變世上幾十億人的生活方式
如果沒有台積電的話
我們的科技發展進程有可能會延後5到10年的發展
臺灣的半導體產業
以及台積電在全球無可取代的地位
是怎麼開始的?
這個故事要從這條街上的
一家豆漿店說起
1974年 這裡有間豆漿店 「小欣欣豆漿店」
當時臺灣經濟界重要人物齊聚一堂
邊吃早餐邊開會
決定以積體電路技術 作為臺灣未來產業的發展藍圖
1980 年 台灣設立了第一家半導體公司
即現在的聯華電子(UMC)
直到現在聯電都仍是全球半導體產業的巨擘
1987年 當時的臺灣工研院院長張忠謀
在政府支持下創辦了台積電
這裡就是台積電的起點
工研院的電子與光電研究所
很難想像 這家35年前從這裡起步的公司
在2022年1月
已經躋身市場價值6400億美金的世界第十大公司
我們都知道工研院在台灣半導體的產業上
扮演非常重要的角色
但具體來說是扮演什麼樣的角色呢
這個可能就要回到快40年前
大概1974年左右
工研院選訓一批學生
跟美國當時的RCA
一家半導體公司簽訂了合約
派這群選訓的種子
去RCA受訓一年到一年半不等
然後回來之後在工研院建立自己的示範工廠
把整個基礎打下來
1985年的時候
工研院就聘請張忠謀先生
從國外回來當工研院院長
當初工研院從RCA回來的基礎
開始有一些技轉
等於是台積電、聯電就
從工研院等於是技轉拆分出去
變成一個正式的半導體公司
這是整個台灣的半導體發展的
當初的過程
我手上這個就是傳說中的晶圓
圓圓的一片
我先簡單介紹一下
矽的晶圓是怎麼來的
矽的晶圓其實是從沙子或土
二氧化矽提煉出來的
一開始要把二氧化矽融化掉
融在一個非常高溫的熔爐
然後讓它漸漸凝固
一開始凝固的時候並不是長這樣子
是一個圓形的晶棒
圓柱形的形狀
然後再去切
切成一片一片的晶圓
裡面這個東西
一開始不是這樣
一開始只是空白片
然後在上面做一些製程
包括光罩、蝕刻、攝影的東西
然後這邊就有一區一區
你仔細看
就有一個方形
這就是一個晶片
一個晶片就是裡面這一個正方形的東西
張忠謀創辦台積電
不只是成立一家公司
更提出一個全新的產業模式
專業晶圓製造模式
台積電當初設立的時候就是定位說
我們不做設計
我們只做製造的這部分
那就是專業的半導體代工
和INTEL、三星等跨國公司不同
台積電最特殊的是專業晶圓製造模式
以前的半導體產業
多是一家公司同時包辦IC設計和製造與封測
上中下游全包
而台積電最特別的地方
就是專注於中游的晶圓製造
IC設計公司不再需要有自己的晶圓廠
只需要專注於產品設計
再委託台積電量產
這樣獨特的營運模式
可大幅減低企業的負擔
也改變了整個晶片產業生態
為什麼台灣會演變成這樣的模式
以及以台積電這樣的模式延伸出去
它又怎麼影響了台灣的整個半導體產業呢?
其實台灣的科技產業的發展起來是在PC時代
台灣那時候的企業都是屬於中小企業
我們台灣的中小企業非常厲害的地方
就是走這種就是Specialization
這種專業化的模式
所以這包括說上游的這個半導體產業
以及下游的PC產業都是如此
所以有些人做IC設計
有些人做晶圓代工
有些人做IC封測
然後我們厲害的地方就是
IC製造跟晶圓代工,跟IC封測
各自都拿下全球主要的市佔率
半導體是一個非常高深的工藝
它總共裡面有千百道不同的製程
每一道製程都要做到奈米等級那種精細的程度
晶圓代工這件事情不是台積電最早
可是專業晶圓代工是台積電最早提出來的
可是專業這件事情
改變了後面所有的生態
全球十大晶圓代工廠2022年 第一季市占率前三名
分別是台積電(TSMC)53.6%
南韓三星(Samsung)16.3%
聯電(UMC)6.9%
台灣廠商包辦超過六成市占率
相對的 美國生產的晶片只剩下12%
為了擴大美國本土製造晶片的產能
2022年拜登政府通過晶片法案
宣布在5年內投入520億美元
補助美國半導體業者
吸引先進半導體廠商到美國建廠
這是基礎建設
我們要建立今日的基礎建設
而不是修建過去的
於此同時
台積電在2021年宣布將在3年內投資超過1000億美元
擴大研發與擴產
單單在2022年就預計投入400億美元資本支出
台積電宣布他們要投資
在未來3年內投資超過1000億美元
來擴大研發跟擴產
這個金額其實是非常的驚人
台積電他們3年1000億美元
這樣子預算的規劃
大概是要用在哪些地方
然後這會造成什麼樣的影響呢?
台積電從大概16、14奈米後
大概就逐漸拉開了跟競爭對手的差距
可以預見在這麼具有規模的資本支出上頭的話
未來他的市佔率就會持續擴大
事實上 台積電善於在適當時機投入研發
不斷挑戰先進技術
舉例來說 2008年金融海嘯
全球的半導體廠都必須縮減開支時
台積電卻反其道而行
在2010年將資本支出翻倍
大幅增加設備投資、擴建產線
因此在28奈米的市場
拿下幾乎100%的晶圓代工市佔率
在關鍵時刻大舉投資
資金、技術、商品的跨國流動
讓台積電,或者說臺灣
正好在適當的時機找到自己的位置
成為以半導體科技聞名的矽島
假設這晶片原來設計是用10奈米製造方式去做
就是裡面的線寬是10奈米的等級
我今天如果變成5奈米
其他條件都不變
整個這晶片就可以長寬各縮短一半
所以它的面積
同樣的功能
就變成四分之一大小的晶片
我一塊晶圓就可以產生四倍的晶片出來
了解
就是不斷降低成本又提高效能
然而 臺灣在半導體產業的輝煌成就
有辦法持續下去嗎?
隨著電晶體製程進入3奈米、1奈米、甚至更小的階段
會不會遇到物理瓶頸呢?
5奈米、3奈米、2奈米
後來已經到1奈米
1奈米下去怎麼辦?
已經快到原子等級了
從我念博士班的時候
大家就在說
半導體的極限快要到了
可能台積快要做不下去了
1奈米指的是1公尺的10億分之一
我們很難想像這到底是什麼意思
氫原子的直徑大約是10分之1奈米
也就是,1奈米只有約10個氫原子尺寸
台積電挑戰用原子的尺度做出超級精密的先進晶片
難道還可以一直不斷縮小下去嗎?
很多人講說半導體或摩爾定律已經到一個極限
其實不然
現在講的3奈米其實裡面
沒有代表任何一個原件的尺寸是3奈米
摩爾定律還沒到一個極限
基本上估計至少十年內都還不會到一個極限
過去數十年來 半導體產業大致遵循著摩爾定律的預測
每18個月到2年
晶片的效能會提高一倍
奈米製程尺寸每縮小成原本的0.7倍
單位面積可容納的電晶體數量就可加倍
10奈米,7奈米,5奈米,3奈米
不斷縮小製程 也不斷加倍電晶體數量
但要追求摩爾定律
是否只有縮小製程這個方式?
現在碰到最大的挑戰是什麼
很重要的一個挑戰就是新的材料
新的材料就譬如說石墨烯
因為它的這種速度可能可以更快
砷化鎵這種
就是用在射頻用途的
就RF 它做功率放大器的
功率半導體
現在主要比較常看到的就是氮化鎵
它也可以用在功率半導體上
然後再來就是碳化矽
以碳化矽來講
可以至少做到矽的5到20倍的電流密度
除了不斷縮小製程
我們也可以用新型態的3D製程
或用更具效率的新材料
來達到更高的晶片效率
繼續維持摩爾定律的成長幅度
但這些改變
對複雜的先進製程也是重重挑戰
當然新的材料加到矽上面有一定的挑戰
因為光換一個新的材料
我剛剛講半導體的製造是非常精細的
你就想說前後有幾百道製程
你中間一道換一個新的材料
你前面的幾百道跟後面的幾百道可能都要重新改
所以這個是一個非常挑戰的過程
可是工程師或者整個半導體業界一直在做這件事情
全球晶片的年產量
1980年代時約320億顆
到了2020年已暴漲到1兆360萬顆
預估到2030年會達到3兆顆
半導體成為國際政治與產業變化的核心
半導體產業已經不是單純的技術或經濟學問題
台積電甚至公開招募具政治經濟背景的研究員
藉由世界地緣政治分析
協助進行市場研究
原本順應國際分工趨勢而崛起的臺灣
要如何走出自己的下一步?
未來臺灣在半導體領域
是否能繼續獨占鼇頭?
讓我們拭目以待
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