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By Meryl Kao / Staff reporter
The Ministry of Economic Affairs yesterday broke floor on the Industrial Technology Research Institute’s superior semiconductor analysis and improvement (R&D) base in Hsinchu County’s Jhudong Township (竹東).
The NT$3.772 billion (US$119.56 million) base is a joint undertaking with the National Development Council and the National Science and Technology Council as a part of the federal government’s Chip-based Industrial Innovation Program, the ministry stated.
The base would home pilot manufacturing traces for superior semiconductor processes, submicron sensing chips and superior packaging, in addition to laboratories for inspection, measurement and verification, it stated.
Photo: CNA
It is scheduled for completion by the tip of subsequent 12 months, with phased operations starting within the first quarter of 2028, the ministry stated.
Once operational, the base would provide three core companies — pilot verification for revolutionary built-in circuit (IC) designs, improvement of superior semiconductor manufacturing processes, and localized verification of apparatus and supplies, it stated.
The ministry expects the brand new facility to decrease validation obstacles for small and medium-sized IC design companies and start-ups, serving to them convey their merchandise to market.
The base may shorten product improvement time for companies by about 30 p.c, it stated.
It would additionally strengthen the competitiveness of home supplies and tools suppliers, and allow early deployment of cutting-edge applied sciences akin to synthetic intelligence (AI) chips, silicon photonics, quantum computing and next-generation reminiscence chips, reinforcing Taiwan’s essential place within the world semiconductor trade, the ministry stated.
Amid shifting geopolitics and world supply-chain restructuring, the important thing for Taiwan to remain forward globally is strengthening R&D resilience and sustaining technological autonomy, which the brand new base would tremendously help, Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) stated on the groundbreaking ceremony.
Kung stated the brand new base would primarily serve small and medium-sized companies, start-ups, and home tools and supplies suppliers. It would enable small-batch, custom-made testing of recent supplies, tools and processes, shortening R&D cycles and accelerating commercialization to make the commercial ecosystem extra full and resilient, he stated.
The base would offer R&D and pilot manufacturing companies for 28-nanomater to 90-nanometer nodes, and combine chip design, manufacturing, packaging and testing right into a one-stop service. It goals to assist native companies obtain breakthroughs and help AI purposes throughout industries, Kung stated.
The ministry expects the base to supply extra forward-looking analysis on AI chips, silicon photonics and quantum applied sciences, serving as a core engine for digital transformation in areas akin to good healthcare, autonomous autos and manufacturing facility automation.
Kung particularly thanked Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電) for supporting the institution of the R&D base.
Yesterday’s ceremony was attended by Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) and National Science and Technology Council Minister Wu Cheng-wen (吳誠文), in addition to representatives from main semiconductor companies.