TSMC sees revenue per wafer surge
Jessie Shen, DIGITIMES, Taipei
Thursday 4 March 2021
TSMC was the only pure-play foundry manufacturing ICs using both 7nm and 5nm process nodes, which boosted its overall revenue per wafer significantly in 2020, according to IC Insights.
TSMC's average revenue per wafer in 2020 came to US$1,634, up from US$1,530 in 2019, said IC Insights. Globalfoundries' revenue per wafer in 2020, which trailed only behind TSMC's, slipped 1% to US$984, IC Insights indicated.
TSMC's revenue per wafer was more than double the revenue per wafer value at UMC and SMIC in 2020, IC Insights noted. With estimated capital expenditures of US$27.5 billion in 2021, TSMC will expand its available capacity at 5nm and 7nm nodes and also begin risk production of 3nm ICs this year with 3nm volume production slated to start in 2022.
Memory suppliers like Samsung Electronics, Micron Technology, SK Hynix and Kioxia are also using advanced processes to make their DRAM and flash memory chips. No matter the device type, the IC industry has evolved to the point where only a very small group of companies can develop leading-edge process technologies and fabricate leading edge ICs, IC Insights said. |
