China foundries planning FD-SOI process technology

China-based IC foundries, such as Shanghai Huali Microelectronics (HLMC), are evaluating plans to offer FD-SOI process technology since they are less competitive in the mainstream FinFET segment led by the world’s major pure-play foundries and IDMs including Intel, Samsung and TSMC, according to industry sources.

HLMC has disclosed plans to roll out advanced 28nm and 14nm FinFET processes. The China-based 12-inch foundry is also mulling the launch of FD-SOI process technology to provide a low-cost alternative to FinFET technologies, said the sources.

With a growing number of China-based fabless firms focusing on Internet of Things (IoT) applications, a cheaper FD-SOI process will be more attractive than FinFET-type processes, the sources indicated. Eyeing the huge market potential, HLMC and other China-based foundries are looking to join the FD-SOI race, where Globalfoundries will be their major competitor.

Globalfoundries recently announced plans to build a new 12-inch wafer fab in Chengdu, China, based on a partnership between the company and the Chengdu municipality. The fab will focus on manufacturing Globalfoundries’ commercially-available 22FDX process technology, with volume production expected to start in 2019.

Globalfoundries in 2015 rolled out its 22nm FD-SOI process dubbed 22FDX developed specifically for the rapidly-evolving mainstream mobile, IoT, RF connectivity and networking markets. The technology delivers FinFET-like performance and energy-efficiency at a cost comparable to 28nm planar technologies, the foundry claimed.

In September 2016, Globalfoundries unveiled a new 12nm FD-SOI semiconductor technology dubbed 12FDX designed for a broad range of applications from mobile computing and 5G connectivity to artificial intelligence and autonomous vehicles.

In other news, Shanghai Simgui Technology (Simgui), a China-based silicon semiconductor materials company, has recently entered commercial production of 8-inch silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers based on Soitec’s proprietary Smart Cut technology, according to the sources.

Categories: Bits + chips IC manufacturing

Tags: China FinFET IoT Shanghai Shanghai Huali Microelectronics SOI

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• Why Globalfoundries is embracing FD-SOI and why now (Jul 15) – EE Times India

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