The Semiconductor Ecosystem but What Is A
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Semiconductors are everywhere Semiconductors IoT H mer/ ealthc nsu are Co Blood-Pressure Sensors ATMs Hearing Aids S g m n Smoke Detectors a ti Internet MRIs rt u Pacemakers EfficientA/C Logistics Temp SensorsSystems E p Refrigerators Ultrasound Modules n s m Coffee Makers LED Light Bulbs e S r Wireless Patient Monitoring Systems r e o o Video Games g m t Monitors c C Smart SecurityHome Systems Devices y i u c CPUs o d Washing Machines n n Diodes Computers/Laptops d o Solar Panels c u i T c n Microcontrollers t m r o e o Phototransistors a r S i s t RF Transmitters n Transistors Diagnostic Equipment Assistance Systems a Advanced Driver s Mapping/Sensoring c Navigation Systems p i Wireless HD Video 12+HRS o n The average American adult spends over r u 12 hours a day on electronics, such as computers, t a m 1 mobile devices, TVs and cars. Those devices are all t Radios i Navigation o m Scanners powered by semiconductors, which improve our lives, Digital Cameras Televisions n o Smartphones increase productivity and drive economic growth. Watches/clocks C But what is a semiconductor? The term “semiconductor” refers to a material that has electrical conductivity greater than an “insulator” but less than a “conductor.” However, it more commonly refers to an integrated circuit (IC) or computer chip. The most common semiconductor material is silicon, the main ingredient of computer chips. Low Electrical Resistance High Conductor Semiconductor Insulator Aluminum Germanium Diamond Copper Selenium Glass Gold Silicon Oil Iron Plastic Silver Rubber The Semiconductor There are different types of semiconductors. This motherboard is showing at least eight of them. Functions of semiconductors can range Semiconductors are essential from the amplification of signals, switching for the operation of all and/or energy conversion. modern electronic devices. Why are semiconductors so important? Semiconductors are the foundation of modern technology. Billions of connected devices on the planet would not function without them. Semiconductors are probably the most complex products ~ $12B manufactured in the world yet they’re not much bigger than your fingernail. They are packed with Around the cost to build billions of microscopic switches, called “transistors,” that make them work. a new semiconductor factory or “fab” American >6 football fields Nearly the size of the world’s Healthcare Robotics/AI IoT Smart Energy largest semiconductor fab ~12K Roughly the number of construction, high-tech and support jobs a semiconductor fab creates Transportation Computing + $400B 2019 revenue from the global semiconductor industry A computer chip’s journey Intel is one of the last companies that both designs and builds chips as an integrated device manufacturer. Most other chipmakers – Nvidia, AMD or Qualcomm – design chips and then use a foundry, such as TSMC, Samsung or Global Foundries, to build them. Intel also serves as a foundry. Staying at the leading edge of technology is costly, and only a few companies – Intel, Samsung and TSMC – sustain heavy investment to keep pioneering. A computer Mask Ops Die & Sort Warehousing Mask engineers Finished wafers Logistics professionals ship out chip’s journey take the digital get cut into dies chips to customers or global begins with blueprints and (or computer distribution hubs where they are convert them into chips) and placed sent to manufacturers or boxed research mask templates. on reels. up for retail. Engineers and scientists from 1 2 3 4 5 6 companies and academia develop revolutionary Design Fabrication Test & Assembly processing and Chip architects, logic Techs in bunny suits use Techs test each die one last packaging designers and circuit photolithography machines time, then mount them technologies. designers create to shine light through masks between a heat spreader computerized onto the surface of a wafer to and a substrate to form a drawings (blueprints). create 100s of computer chips. sleek, enclosed package. The semiconductor ecosystem Equipment and Wafer fabrication, assembly OEMs and end-user silicon suppliers and testing facilities IDMs products (e.g., HP) Government, university (e.g., Intel, Samsung) and banking support Water and electricity suppliers Transportation Substrate providers Gas and chemical suppliers Foundries (e.g., TSMC) IC designers (e.g., Nvidia) Photomask shops It takes thousands of steps to manufacture one semiconductor. Software companies Construction These are just some of the companies and industries involved IP providers in the large global semiconductor ecosystem. Intel and semiconductors In our increasingly digital world, Intel technology is essential to nearly every industry on this planet. Arizona Malaysia New Mexico Ireland Vietnam Chengdu Oregon Dalian Memory Fab Israel Client Computing c i P r Costa Rica C Data Center t Intel’s YTD Intel n - c e Internet of Things Worldwide e c Business Unit n - Headquarters a t Mobileye t Breakout by r i a Santa Clara, California c Memory D Revenue* Programmable Solutions Wafer Fabs Assembly and Test Intel Presence * through Q2 2020 110,000+ $72B 10B 100M $16B Intel employees working Total Intel revenue Transistors Intel Transistors packed into Intel’s 2019 investment in 46 countries around in 2019 produces every one mm2 on an Intel in manufacturing plus the globe second 10 nm chip $13.4B in R&D Intel is responding quickly to the broad range of opportunities data presents, leading to innovation in cloud, 5G, AI, autonomous driving and the intelligent edge. Focusing on six pillars, we have invested billions of dollars in product innovation to enable breakthroughs in capturing value from data: Process and Packaging xPU Architectures Memory We are creating a new wave of compute engines We are designing processors that span four With our Intel® 3D NAND and Intel® Optane™ that mix and match different process technologies major computing architectures (scalar, vector, technology, we are developing products to and then connect them with high-performance, matrix and spatial), moving us toward an era disrupt the memory and storage hierarchy. low-power packaging technologies. of heterogeneous computing. Advanced Interconnect Security Software We are delivering leading technologies across Together with customers and partners, Intel Our software unleashes the potential of all interconnect layers — spanning on-die, on- is building a more trusted foundation in this hardware across all workloads, domains, package, data-center and long-distance networks. datacentric world. and architectures. Visit intel.com for more information on semiconductors 1. http://www.semismatter.com/ © Intel Corporation. Intel, the Intel logo, and other Intel marks are trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries. Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others. .