What is the technology behind manufacturing a semiconductor chip?

Summary:

India is making strides in semiconductor chip manufacturing with TATA Group's partnership with Taiwan's Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (PSMC) to establish a 300mm wafer fabrication plant in Gujarat, targeting its first 28nm chip by 2026. This initiative, supported by government approvals for assembly and test plants in Gujarat and Assam, highlights India's commitment to enhancing its semiconductor manufacturing capabilities amid global supply chain disruptions and geopolitical tensions.

Key Points:

• Semiconductor chips are made from materials that conduct electricity under certain conditions and are used in virtually all electronic devices.

• The manufacturing process involves adding 'dopants' to a semiconductor to create complex circuits, a method analogous to using stencils and spray paint on a wall.

• Transistors, key components in chips, function as switches, amplifiers, and signal processors, packed into chips like WiFi modules in smartphones.

• Fabrication technology has evolved, enabling more miniaturised and efficient semiconductor designs, marked by labels like '45nm' and '28nm', indicating the level of miniaturisation.

• A wafer is a circular piece of semiconductor on which multiple chips are printed and then cut out, with the industry moving towards larger 300mm and potentially 450mm wafers for cost-effective production.

• India's semiconductor ecosystem has been primarily focused on chip design, benefiting from a pool of skilled engineers capable of designing chips entirely through software.

Additional Insights:

• India's entry into semiconductor manufacturing is timely, considering the critical role semiconductors play in modern technology and the need for diversified global supply chains.

• The partnership with PSMC and government support for manufacturing facilities signal a strategic move to build a comprehensive semiconductor ecosystem in India, encompassing design, fabrication, assembly, and testing.

• The growth of India's semiconductor industry can potentially open career opportunities across a broad spectrum of disciplines, including engineering, data science, and material science, leveraging India's existing strengths in technology and engineering.

Keywords Explained:

• Semiconductor Chip: A component made from a material that can conduct electricity under certain conditions, essential in modern electronics.

• Wafer Fabrication Plant: A facility where semiconductor chips are manufactured on wafers through processes like doping and etching.

• 28nm Chip: Refers to the level of miniaturisation in chip manufacturing, indicating that the smallest features on the chip are 28 nanometers in size.

Published in : The Hindu

Date appeared in newspaper : 08 April 2024

Link to the article (might require a paid subscription) : https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/2024-04-08/th_international/articleGBACL32F6-6390539.ece

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