.Pinyuan is the basic raw material of manufacturing industry, and its significance in chip manufacturing technology

Wafers refer to silicon wafers used for making silicon semiconductor bulk circuits. Because their shape is round, they are called wafers. They can be processed into various circuit component structures on silicon wafers, making them into four products with specific electrical functions.

The original material of the wafer is silicon, and the inexhaustible silicon dioxide on the surface of the earth's crust is refined from sand rich in silica. The sand rich in silica is refined by the Ran arc furnace, chlorinated hydrochloric acid, and steamed radium, and made of high-purity polycrystalline silicon, with a purity of up to eleven nineteen.

The wafer manufacturer melts the polycrystalline silicon, then adds a small grain of silicon crystal seeds into the melt liquid, and then slowly pulls it out to form a cylindrical single crystal silicon crystal rod. Since the silicon crystal rod is gradually generated by a small grain in the molten silicon raw material, this process is called crystal growth.

The wafer is purified by silicon elements, and then these pure silicon are made into long silicon crystal rods, which become the material for quartz semiconductors that make integrated circuits. After photographic plate making, grinding, polishing, slicing and other procedures, the polycrystalline silicon is melted out of the single crystal silicon crystal rods, and then cut into thin wafers.

Most people often hear about wafer factories that are several inches long. This is because the larger the diameter of the silicon wafer, it means that the wafer factory has better technology. In addition, there are some technologies that can reduce the size of transistors and wires. Both methods can produce more silicon grains on a wafer, improving quality and reducing costs.

Therefore, among the six-inch, eight-inch, and twelve-inch wafers, twelve-inch wafers have higher production capacity.

Of course, yield is a very important condition in the process of wafer production.

Fan Wubing looked down on the news that TSMC plans to enter the mainland and build an eight-inch wafer factory.

In fact, after Fan's Investment Group built an eight-inch wafer factory, he expected that this day would come sooner or later.

In a sense, this is also the inevitable result of the technology blockade of the mainland by the United States and Taiwan authorities. A long time ago, the investment projects of the United States or some Western countries in the mainland were set based on the technological frontiers of the mainland.

For example, there were no wafer fabs in the mainland before. Well, I would definitely not allow investors to build wafer fabs in the mainland. Later, the mainland built a four-inch wafer fab and mastered the key technologies. Well, I would allow investors to build a four-inch wafer fab in the mainland to form competition. The result of competition is naturally that foreign-invested wafer fabs with mature technology will squeeze the wafer fabs in the mainland, which will continue to form technical advantages.

After the mainland has mastered the technology of a six-inch wafer factory, they will still invest in the construction of a six-inch wafer factory. This principle is the same as before. It is nothing more than worrying that the mainland's own wafer technology will threaten its survival. After all, the mainland's manufacturing cost is low, which everyone knows.

This has also created a fait accompli, that is, as long as the mainland does not have the technology mastered, foreign capital will not invest and build the technology in the mainland.

Just like TSMC, the wafer factories they built on the island of Taiwan are already mainly twelve-inch wafers.

Sure enough, one month later, at the end of March, news came that the eight-inch wafer fab mainland investment case, which attracted much attention from all parties on Taiwan's island, was the first to formally apply for the leading manufacturer TSMC.

On March 29, TSMC said it had submitted an application to the Investment Review Committee of the Ministry of Economic Affairs yesterday afternoon to the establishment of a wafer factory in the mainland. It is expected that after obtaining a license, it will set up a subsidiary of TSMC in the mainland, and establish an eight-inch wafer factory with a monthly production capacity of 35,000 pieces in the Songjiang Science and Technology Park in Shanghai. TSMC estimates that the total investment amount of the four mainlands will reach US$898 million.

Taiwan Minister of Economic Affairs Lin Yifu immediately made a statement, saying that the Investment Review Conference had received an application for TSMC wafer login and would distribute the information to the relevant department meeting for written review. Once the department meetings have reached a consensus, they will convene a meeting of inter-department presidents based on the key points of the work to conduct a formal review of the case.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs of Taiwan has announced the key points for investing in wafer fabs in the mainland. TSMC will send relevant information to the Investment Review Conference in accordance with regulations. Next, the Investment Review Conference will distribute these information to the Mainland Affairs Commission, the Central Bank of Taiwan, the Ministry of Finance, the Taiwan Labor Commission, and the Taiwan Economic Construction Association for written review.

As for how much time this review will take? Will it be completed? Lin Yifu is unwilling to respond positively, saying that everything will be handled according to the key points of the work, and it depends on the completeness of the information sent by TSMC and the consensus of the various departments.

However, while applying for investment and setting up a factory in the mainland, TSMC also emphasized that Taiwan is still the core of the company's operations and research, and will continue to invest in twelve-inch wafer factories in the future. It is estimated that the total number of employees in Taiwan will grow by 5,000 from the current level in four years, reaching 20,000. This time, TSMC went to the mainland to set up a factory, and some equipment will be moved to the mainland for construction based on the idle equipment of Taiwan's eight-inch wafer factory. All regulations are based on compliance with the mainland investment laws of the Taiwan authorities.

After the media exposed the news that TSMC will settle in Songjiang, Shanghai, immediately became the focus of attention of the outside world. Considering that TSMC's 12-inch wafer mass production has met the standards set by the Taiwan authorities, TSMC officially submitted an application for investment and establishment of a factory in the mainland yesterday.

TSMC Chairman Zhang Zhongmou said that there are two main reasons for deciding to set up factories in the mainland. One is to focus on the gradual rise of the mainland and the potential of the semiconductor market business opportunities.

Secondly, because the mainland semiconductor market has its own special features, it will be difficult to gain a foothold if direct manufacturing services are not provided locally.

Therefore, as the mass production time and quantity of TSMC's 12-inch wafers have reached the standards set by the Taiwan authorities, TSMC has formally submitted an application in accordance with the regulations.

Zhang Zhongmou also said that once this motion is approved, TSMC Shanghai Co., Ltd. will employ about 1,000 employees, and in the early stage, it will be dispatched to about 100 permanent employees from Taiwan, and the rest will be recruited locally in the mainland.

After TSMC proposed the proposal to build a factory in the mainland, the board of directors of Taiwan Maud Technology also applied to the Taiwan Ministry of Economic Affairs' Investment Review Conference a few days later to invest in an eight-inch wafer factory in the mainland, with an investment limit of more than NT$8 billion.

According to Taiwan media reports, according to the current view of the Taiwan authorities, semiconductor factories must set up 12-inch wafer factories in Taiwan to invest in mainland China, and meet two basic conditions: one is to pass the customer's product and process certification, and the other is to produce continuously for six months.

Maode Ke Yaoxin Erli said that Maode currently meets the two qualifications for reading, and has been certified on September 20 last year because of its twelve-inch wafer D and Si Gan. In addition, it has invested 9,000 films and produced more than 4,000 films, accounting for more than 20% of the overall operation. By March this year, it just took six months.

In terms of investment amount, according to the current regulations of the Taiwan Investment Management Committee, the upper limit of semiconductor factories to invest in mainland China shall not exceed 20% of their net assets. Based on the current net assets of Maode, the upper limit of the company's investment is more than NT$40 billion.

It is reported that the Taiwan authorities only allowed three eight-inch wafer factories to invest in the mainland before 2005. In addition to TSMC and UMC, each of them is expected to win a seat. Maode Technology, a subsidiary of Maosi Group, is interested in fighting for this third place with Lijing.

Immediately afterwards, Wang Wenyang, son of Wang Yongqing, chairman of Taiwan's wealthy business Formosa Plastics Group, also said that he is considering the investment of $650 million in mainland China to build a 8-inch wafer factory.

After four young Wang Wenyang, Shaodong of Formosa Plastics Group, left Formosa Plastics due to a scandal, created Hongren Group and invested in the mainland and cooperated with mainland electronic companies. Two years ago, they planned to build three eight-inch and three twelve-inch wafer factories in the Zhangjiang Industrial Zone in Pudong, Shanghai. The total investment amount will be as high as US$6.4 billion. This will be the largest semiconductor investment case in the mainland in recent years.

However, because the Taiwan authorities have to wait for the lifting of the ban on investing in such high-tech projects in mainland China, the project has not been launched. Now TSMC has broken the ice and electronics operators on Taiwan's island have followed suit. It is obviously time.

Taiwan's electronics operators have put pressure on the authorities to lift the ban, mainly because Taiwan's competitors, Japan and the United States, have begun to build factories in China. If Taiwan does not enter as soon as possible, it may lose competitiveness.

Under the pressure of merchants, the Taiwan authorities are gradually adjusting their policy of urgency and ease investment restrictions. In recent years, they have agreed to set up computer assembly plants in the mainland, but they still oppose building wafer factories in the mainland, and advocate that Taiwan should retain some high-tech to prevent the mainland semiconductor industry from growing and threatening Taiwan's economy.

Wang Wenyang said that once the Taiwan authorities approve themselves to build a wafer factory in mainland China, the funds needed to build the factory will be raised from the group's overseas companies, and will also form a strategic partner with his sister's Volkswagen Group and his sister's VIA Electronics.

It is understood that Wang Wenyang had started to actively contact senior executives of several semiconductor factories in Taiwan as early as last year. Many celebrities in the semiconductor industry have been on the list of strong invitations. Recently, several senior executives of the top three semiconductor groups in Taiwan have been finalized. They will resign from their current jobs and transfer to Shanghai Exhibition. According to the general wafer factory construction schedule, it will take about a year and a half from the start of groundbreaking construction to completion and production.

This series of news shocked the domestic electronics industry. For a while, domestic news media, especially the album media, were discussing the topic of wafer fabs, and the development prospects of the domestic chip industry have been expanded. The official media also made relatively positive reports on this, believing that there is a gratifying progress in cross-strait economic and trade relations.

Although Fan Wubing was able to handle the news calmly, Wang Rongchang was a little unable to sit still. After all, the main projects he cooperated with Fan Investment Group were related to this and the profit was also abundant. Once there was a problem with this direction, he would suffer the biggest loss.

He didn't want Fan Wubing to be rich and powerful, and he had many directions. Even if he suffered losses in this regard, it would not be seriously injured. Therefore, Wang Rongchang came to Fan Wubing to discuss countermeasures and see how to deal with this situation.

At this time, Fan Wubing had learned some government ideas through senior management, and told Wang Rongchang, "Some domestic local governments still want to attract Taiwanese manufacturers to build wafer factories and other high-tech projects in the mainland, and are willing to provide a variety of preferential policies. Some are willing to provide ten-year tax-free discounts. It is said that the official has promised Hongren Group that it will give the best discounts in the financing pipeline."

"In other words, once the Taiwan authorities release the control, the rise of heroes will become a reality for mainland wafer fabs?" Wang Rongchang asked with a headache.

"Your Majesty, you don't need to be too anxious. After all, you can't make enough money nbsp;nbsp;" Fan Wubing saw Wang Rongchang's frustration, so he smiled and comforted, "The profits of this project are small, and there are other projects that can be done. In the past few years, you have made more than one billion dollars in this area, right?"

Wang Rongchang touched his head and said, "It is because it is easy to make money that he is more anxious. Once he loses the advantages of this project, which direction should he move in in the future?"

"There are many projects that can be developed, such as shipping, sea transportation, mining construction, high-tech research, and arms production, and so on. I guess you can't participate in it." Fan Wubing gave a few examples and said to Wang Rongchang, "Let me say so, I can choose any overseas industries. As long as the funds allow, I can occupy less than 5% of the shares. Domestic industries, as long as they are not key industries banned by the government, can also participate in this case."

After hearing this, Wang Rongchang's eyes suddenly lit up, but Fan Wubing's suggestion made him feel a little moved.

Compared with the chip industry with uncertain future, entering a high-profit industry that Fan Wubing actively opens to him is obviously more attractive.

"If you do this, wouldn't it be a waste of your life?" Wang Rongchang smiled and walked around.

"It is a consensus in the market that everyone has money to make money. I am not a person who eats alone. However, under certain historical conditions, it is inappropriate for some industries to introduce too many strategic partners in the early stage of the exhibition. After the exhibition starts, a united front needs to be established." Fan Wubing replied pertinently.

In fact, Fan Wubing has long had such considerations.

Our assets have now expanded to a very large scale, and it is true that they are rich enough to compete with a country. However, the saying that a tree attracts wind is also ancient. Now that the company has entered a period of steady development, it is necessary to properly select some strategic partners to join in order to form a stable and unshakable industrial alliance.
Chapter completed!