INDUSTRY MANUFACTURING
global competition. In this context, the EC announced to foster the KETs with a total of about 6.7 billions, of which the lion’s share would be spend to micro and nano electronics, nano technologies, material research and manufacturing.
At the ISS Europe, this concept sparked great interest though it was clear that it still needs to be discussed how precisely the idea of an “Airbus for chips” could be transferred to the semiconductor industry. Such a manufacturing concept offers a broad range of business and operational options. In any case, it would open the perspective to the European chip industry to get access to the technology associated with next-gen 450mm wafer processing and the users could benefit from its productivity gains.
The European semiconductor industry has plenty of assets, tangible as well as intellectual, to build upon, participants of a high-ranking panel discussion agreed. Among these strengths are Europe’s world-class research and development institutions - like Belgium’s IMEC, France’s CEA-LETI and Germany’s Fraunhofer Gesellschaft. In many segments of the semiconductor technology, European companies take leading positions.
Examples are low-power digital technologies and security. Bosch and Infineon are globally recognized market leaders in power semiconductors. In addition, European chip companies possess a very dense and broad IP portfolio. Again, an example: 95 percent of the world’s smartphones are based on microprocessor IP from British vendor ARM. In materials science and process technologies, Europe also holds a strong position. Dutch equipment manufacturer ASML
dominates the lithography section, a very critical segment of the semiconductor production chain. In addition to these industry giants, thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises across Europe contribute to Europe’s strength. All told, Europe’s equipment industry has a global market share of 25 percent, significantly more than its current market share in semiconductor production.
The prospect of supporting large scale pilot production lines in addition to R&D institutions brings into reach the possibility to stay in the game when the industry globally moves towards the next generation of manufacturing sites.
“An Airbus for chips could be a very powerful tool”, commented IMEC CEO Luc Van der hove who has a reputation as one of the most distinguished masterminds of a joint approach. “It does not need to be a single company, it also can be a framework of companies”, added Laurent Malier, CEO of French research centre CEA-LETI.”
In order to get there, it however is necessary to really close ranks and bundle forces. “We have to think in European terms”, demanded Van den hove. “Talking in a common voice allows the European Commission to act and support this industry”. This statement precisely met the sentiment of the ISS participants. Van den hove’s fellow campaigner Rob Hartman, Director Strategic Program for ASML, summarized: “We have all the knowledge, the materials and the equipment. Let’s do it in the EU”.
© 2013 Angel Business Communications. Permission required.
Issue I 2013
www.siliconsemiconductor.net
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