Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has been adjusting its 28nm equipment to a manufacturing readiness maturity level of over 90%, and will start volume production using 28nm process as soon as possible in 2011, according to the company.
TSMC has made significant progress in upward adjusting the manufacturing readiness of 28nm equipment at its Fab 12 in the Hsinchu Science Park HSP), with the maturity level hiked from less than 50% in the fourth quarter of 2009 to more than 90% currently, the company indicated. The more advanced the manufacturing processes, the lower the initial manufacturing readiness of equipment and more efforts needed for adjustments, TSMC said, adding 90nm equipment, for example, has an initial maturity level of nearly 100% and almost does not need any adjustment, TSMC explained.
TSMC has many clients for its 28nm process, including Xilinx, Altera, Nvidia, AMD and Qualcomm, and has attained tape-out for 71 IC products. The 28nm production capacity will be fully utilized by the end of 2011, TSMC noted.
In addition to 28nm, TSMC has urged its suppliers of equipment and materials to speed up R&D for 20nm process.
