[Olivon]

Quote:

Longtime semiconductor equipment observer Robert Maire of Semiwatch this morning warns that tool makers could be hurt in Q1 because contract chip maker Global Foundries is diverting shipments of equipment to make chips at 14 nanometer dimensions to a warehouse.

"We have confirmed through numerous sources that over the last two weeks Global Foundries has stopped deliveries of tools for 14nm to its fab and instead is having the tools housed at a nearby warehouse," writes Maire.

"We hear that tool makers are told that the fab facilities are not ready and it sounds like a one to two quarter delay," writes Maire. "Some tool makers are speculating that the delay could also be related to financial issues or yield issues or a host of other odd rumors."

Maire opines this may hurt Samsung Electronics (005930KS) in its bid to win back Apple's chip business in 2015. he thinks "part of the pitch to Apple by Samsung was the availability of an independent, US based supplier." That means Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM) may hold onto Apple's business longer, thinks Maire.

Source

Thanks to Marc from HFR for the info !

UPDATE12/31/2014 :

Global Foundries Says on Track with 14-Nano Chip Tech - BlogBarrons
Quote:

Global spokesperson Jason Gorss wrote in an email that Global's use of its tools remains business as usual:

Our 14nm plan has not changed. A key part of the strategy is to order tools ahead of facility readiness to enable the fastest possible ramp. Due to the large number of tools coming in, we have our vendors stage these tools at a nearby warehouse to facilitate a fast install. This logistical move is in no way related to yield challenges or a delay in our technology ramp and is, in fact, quite the opposite. Our Fab 8 ramp is on track and we have yielding customer product on our 14nm technology.

Notable Links :

Robert Maire Original Blogpost

SemiWiki Article

Robert Maire on GF answer :
Quote:

I am not mistaken...

I have checked my facts with numerous tool makers...

Global Foundries admitted they are warehousing tools today....
They asked tool vendors for modified terms for what sounds like 1-2 quarters of potential delay.

They put out a carefully "spun" statement that doesn't say wether they are delayed or not .....

Tool vendors were only told of this in the last two weeks as a surprise that they were not happy with ....sounds unplanned given that tools have been on order for a long time with a last minute change to a holding pattern at a warehouse

I it quacks like a duck and waddles like a duck....its probably a duck

 

[Orangey]

I bet Samsung are pissed.

 

[Kuivamaa]

I thought that it is samsung that does the development of the process alone (and glofo just getting a license), If it is indeed delayed, they can only blame themselves. If the story is accurate but what GloFo does is unrelated to the process itself, then said process isn't getting delayed, just glofo slowing down on their fab for whatever reason.

 

[rusirius]

They have had issues for years so this was no surprise to me.

 

[orick]

Or maybe glofo is diverting all of their capacity to produce the new AMD 390x. Lol

 

[Olivon]

Global Foundries Says on Track with 14-Nano Chip Tech - BlogBarrons
Quote:

Global spokesperson Jason Gorss wrote in an email that Global's use of its tools remains business as usual:

Our 14nm plan has not changed. A key part of the strategy is to order tools ahead of facility readiness to enable the fastest possible ramp. Due to the large number of tools coming in, we have our vendors stage these tools at a nearby warehouse to facilitate a fast install. This logistical move is in no way related to yield challenges or a delay in our technology ramp and is, in fact, quite the opposite. Our Fab 8 ramp is on track and we have yielding customer product on our 14nm technology.

 

[Olivon]

First post updated.

Also, Robert Maire's answer on GF reaction :
Quote:

I am not mistaken...

I have checked my facts with numerous tool makers...

Global Foundries admitted they are warehousing tools today....
They asked tool vendors for modified terms for what sounds like 1-2 quarters of potential delay.

They put out a carefully "spun" statement that doesn't say wether they are delayed or not .....

Tool vendors were only told of this in the last two weeks as a surprise that they were not happy with ....sounds unplanned given that tools have been on order for a long time with a last minute change to a holding pattern at a warehouse

I it quacks like a duck and waddles like a duck....its probably a duck

https://www.semiwiki.com/forum/f293/gf-delays-14nm-5166.html#post17564

 

[Orangey]

He's just butthurt he misread the situation and looks silly now. Looks like they addressed the delay question plenty to me...

 

[Tsumi]

If you want people to take you seriously, don't use so many ellipses.

 

[maarten12100]

Quote:

Originally Posted by orick

Or maybe glofo is diverting all of their capacity to produce the new AMD 390x. Lol

You wish. It is going to be 28nm most likely though that doesn't mean it couldn't bring big gains.

 

[Seronx]

There is a huge FDSOI ramp up happening at Samsung and GlobalFoundries. Especially, for nearby Asian and European semiconductor companies.

FinFET for Performance. ((2D FDSOI is faster than 3D bulk // 3D FDSOI is faster than 2D FDSOI))
FDSOI for Power.

For those doing the 25x20 initiative, 2D/3D FD-SOI is the only real solution.
Quote:

"28-nm FD-SOI is an ideal solution for customers looking for extra performance and power efficiency at the 28-nm node without having to migrate to 20-nm," says Shawn Han, vice president of foundry marketing, Samsung Electronics

 

[NaroonGTX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Olivon

First post updated.

Also, Robert Maire's answer on GF reaction :
https://www.semiwiki.com/forum/f293/gf-delays-14nm-5166.html#post17564

He's just mad that his FUD got shot down by GF themselves.

 

[Orangey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seronx

There is a huge FDSOI ramp up happening at Samsung and GlobalFoundries. Especially, for nearby Asian and European semiconductor companies.

FinFET for Performance. ((2D FDSOI is faster than 3D bulk // 3D FDSOI is faster than 2D FDSOI))
FDSOI for Power.

For those doing the 25x20 initiative, 2D/3D FD-SOI is the only real solution.

People were wondering what AMD were going to do to achieve this goal, it's probably not enough to just shrink and tweak the arch, the substrate needs to be brought into the equation as well.

 

[asuindasun]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kuivamaa

I thought that it is samsung that does the development of the process alone (and glofo just getting a license), If it is indeed delayed, they can only blame themselves. If the story is accurate but what GloFo does is unrelated to the process itself, then said process isn't getting delayed, just glofo slowing down on their fab for whatever reason.

That's true, but just because the process is ready (i.e. all the steps to make the chip) doesn't mean that the tools are qualified and able to produce defect levels that are acceptable to create decently high yielding material. At 14nm, that's a nightmare...

 

[Olivon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NaroonGTX

He's just mad that his FUD got shot down by GF themselves.

The most surprising would have been that GloFo said nothing or admited that they're facing difficulties It's a normal answer from GF.

They're a lot of rumours running these days telling that TSMC will be the major Apple A9 supplier
Quote:

1. TSMC has won about 80% of Apple A9 orders and Samsung will get the remaining 20% orders if Samsung can meet certain Apple's yield rate expectation.

2. Apples decided to use TSMC 16nm FinFET+ for 80% of A9 production is due to TSMC's better yield and better quality. Apple determined that it's just too much risk and too much uncertainty to use Samsung's 14nm manufacturing process.

3. TSMC's Fab 14 P7 plant in southern Taiwan will produce Apple's A9 processors with 16nm FinFET+ process.

4. TSMC will have about 50,000/month wafers capacity for 16nm FinFET+ ready by the end of June 2015. Among them. 17,000 wafers capacity is from reassigning existing 20nm equipment and about 33,000 wafers will be produced by new acquired equipment.

5. TSMC is in full speed to purchase and install new equipment in order to meet the tight 2015 production schedule.

6. After securing Apple's A9 16nm FinFET+ order, TSMC has started shifting focus to 10nm process.

7. According to the number provided by those articles, next year TSMC will spend $11.5 billion in capital expenditure. It will be $11.3 billion for Samsung and $11 billion for Intel in 2015. This will be the first time TSMC spends more in CAPEX than Samsung and Intel.

Thanks to hist78 for the recap

https://www.semiwiki.com/forum/f293/taiwan-news-media-claimed-apple-has-decided-use-tsmc-produce-least-80%25-a9-5157.html

 

[Orangey]

Is it common for a customer to use 2 different processes for the same chip? As it would lead to logistical nightmares.

 

[iSlayer]

That's no nightmare that's hell.

 

[maarten12100]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orangey

Is it common for a customer to use 2 different processes for the same chip? As it would lead to logistical nightmares.

Intel uses a slightly modded processes for each of their specific chips. Rumour has that they have 9minor variations on the 22nm node itself.

So yes it is very common.

 

[Orangey]

Not talking about variations of the same node.. Samsung 14 and TSMC 16 are completely different aren't they?

 

[Olivon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orangey

Is it common for a customer to use 2 different processes for the same chip? As it would lead to logistical nightmares.

AMD already did it on 28nm with Kabini (socketed version is from GF) and with XB1/PS4 SOC by using both TSMC and GloFo facilities.