Establishing design·manufacturing base by 2025
Private sector centeredjoint research team for next-generation process
Strategy to catch up with Samsung·TSMC mass production
The United States and Japan will build a next-generation semiconductor base in Japan from 2025 if possible. They will also start the joint research for the development and mass production of a high-tech 2 nanometer (㎚) process lead by private companies.
It is expected that the two countries will accelerate their efforts to secure leadership in semiconductors through their ‘technology alliance’, which are the core of global economic and security. In order to respond to this situation, the Korean semiconductor industry needs to take measures to maintain the super-gap against the US-Japan’s aggressive cooperation.
The Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) reported that the Japanese government will establish a high-tech semiconductor manufacturing base in Japan in 2025 in cooperation with private companies on the 15th. Their strategy is to build a stable supply chain by producing next-generation semiconductorsin their own country, which are increasingly important in the national economy·security sectors.
According to Nikkei, the Japanese Cabinet council recently passed a “New Capitalism” that stated that the US and Japan would cooperate with the public and private sectors to establish a basis for semiconductor design and manufacturing in the 2020s. They plan to start joint research with the US this summer and establish a research and mass production base in Japan with the goal of finishing within 2025-2027.
Nikkei also announced that the two countries are focusing on the development of advanced semiconductors that are comparable to the miniaturization process of 2㎚. They will directly produce core parts that will be installed in quantum computers, data centers, and the latest smartphones. They also predicted that advanced semiconductorswould strengthen the country's security system, which determine the performance of weapons such as fighters and missiles.
According to Nikkei, the US and Japanese governments will soon begin the process of selecting private companies to participate in joint development. Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industrywill support research and development (R&D) and part of facility investment with subsidies. The strategy is to catch up with Samsung Electronics and TSMC's mass production for 2nm products scheduled for 2025.
The Japan Advanced Industrial Science and Technology is currently developing manufacturing technologies for advanced lines including 2nm with equipment companies such as Tokyo Electron and Canon. IBM, which succeeded in testing 2㎚last year, and Intel, which is conducting 2㎚ R&D, are participating in the project. They are highly likely to be listed in the US-Japan joint development project.
The Korean semiconductor industry is expecting synergy from Japan, which has an ecosystem of materials, parts, and equipment, and the United States, which has infinite demand for fine technology and advanced semiconductors. However, even if the two countries succeed in developing 2㎚ process technology, they have to wait and see whether it will lead to actual mass production. This is because the key to deciding factor of mass-produce is whether if they can secure a customer to supply mass-produced products.
An official from the domestic semiconductor industry predicted by saying, "Considering that the US and Japan were not be able to secure market share (because of Samsung·TSMC), they can grow as a joint venture.The US-Japan technology alliance could act as a long-term threat (to the Korean semiconductor industry) in the future.”
Scheduleof next-generation semiconductor development and mass production
Source: industry·Nihon Keizai Shimbun
By Staff Reporters Hee-seok Yoon (pioneer@etnews.com), Ji-woong Kim (jw0316@etnews.com)