在经过了好长一段时间后，中国晶圆代工业者中芯国际(SMIC)终于有一些好消息可以透露；该公司希望产业界能摆脱对中芯过往的负面印象：包括沉重的亏损、与台湾同业的诉讼纠纷，以及公司内部管理高层的多次异动等等。
如今的中芯年度营收创下17亿美元的最高纪录(2012年)，正收益(positive income)则达到1,590万美元(创七年新高纪录)，还有个面带微笑、风度翩翩的CEO邱慈云(Tzu-Yin Chiu)。
在 日前接受EETimes美国版编辑独家专访过程中，自2011年8月执掌中芯以来首度面对西方媒体的邱慈云谨慎用词，分享了该公司的短、中、长期发展方 向，畅谈中芯在次40nm节点制程的策略，以及他个人对FDSOI (fully depleted silicon on insulator)技术的看法，也提及与IBM的合作关系，还有中芯为扩充北京厂产能的募资。而从邱慈云聚焦于“产能利用率、差异化与先进制程”的公司策略，也能看出中芯确实已经改头换面。
不谈与全球晶圆代工龙头台积电(TSMC) 将如何竞争，低调的邱慈云着墨更多的是如何执行公司策略；在他的脑海中，对中芯来说最迫切的议题是向世界展示该公司能“持续在晶圆代工市场成长茁壮”。从 中芯最近这几季的财报结果看来，该公司的新策略执行成效良好，问题是这样的好表现能否继续下去，中芯能维持目前的逐季成长情势多久？
中芯国际业绩呈现逐季成长趋势
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本文授权编译自EE Times，版权所有，谢绝转载
本文下一页：胆子够大才能碰晶圆代工生意
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业界咸认，得胆子够大才能碰晶圆代工生意；半导体市场总是面临周期性的生产短缺与过剩，偶尔还得因应剧烈的终端市场需求波动，同时所有人都得为了下一代制程节点技术拼命。
态度谨慎的邱慈云在受访过程中很少偏离中芯国际议题，但他自豪地引述中国工信部(Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's)的软件与IC推广中心(CSIP) 2012年11月统计数据指出，有75%的中国无晶圆厂IC业者将中芯列为最优先代工伙伴，而在一年前，该比例只有59%：“我们的客户都认同我们的服务品质，特别是交货速度。”
交货速度对那些特别讲究产品交货期(turn-around time)的客户来说特别重要，邱慈云表示：“我们需要提供这类客户完整的IP组合与产品特征描述，而且必须一次到位。”他指出，中芯在这些日子以来，某 些产品的交货期可缩短到4个月，一般其它产品则是6~7个月。
而中芯国际今日的成功优势之一，是中国本地迅速崛起的无晶圆厂IC业者；如展讯(Spreadtrum)就是中芯最大、也最重要的客户之一。
展讯目前的代工伙伴包括台积电、中芯与联电(UMC)，该公司CEO李力游透露，一旦展讯在今年底进入28nm制程，将会选择台积电为主要代工厂：”但当然，中芯也会进入28nm节点，我们也将与他们合作，如果不是明年，就是在2015年。”
虽然中芯最近的产能利用率稍有下滑，但邱慈云表示对目前情况感到满意；根据中芯提供的统计资料，该公司 2012年第四季的产能利用率为91%，但在 2012年第二季曾达到过95%。接下来几年，中芯最重要的策略则是差异化；“我们要为成熟制程技术增添附加能力。”邱慈云指出，中芯已定义出九个目标市场领域执行差异化策略，基于竞争性，他不愿透露完整的列表，只表示包括智能卡、CMOS影像传感器与电源管理IC。
本文授权编译自EE Times，版权所有，谢绝转载
本文下一页：先进制程的挑战
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先进制程的挑战
或许对中芯来说，最艰难的挑战──也是一家晶圆厂最重要的长期生存关键──就是先进制程技术。为了赶上台积电、GlobalFoundries等竞争对手，中芯必须在先进制程技术上大举投资，但该公司也需要谨慎行事，密切观察客户的需求与对手的动态。
在 28nm节点技术部分，是由中芯的上海研发团队进行研发，未来量产则会在北京厂；邱慈云表示：“我们将开始接受在2013年底开始投片(tapeout) 的客户订单。”他指出，中芯的28nm会同时采用High-K/金属闸极(HKMG)，以及poly/SiON两种技术；而20nm制程也会同时采用平面 晶体管(planar)与FinFET两种技术：“我们不能(因为只做一种技术而)流失客户。”
中芯国际执行长邱慈云
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在被问到中芯对FDSOI制程的看法时，邱慈云则表示：“以纯物理学的观点，我认为FDSOI拥有很大的潜力，可提供具竞争力的组件架构。”但他也指出，就像生活中的很多事物：“也许这并不是一个技术议题，而更偏向是一个市场行销议题，端看FDSOI被多少客户接受，以及该技术是否够支撑起做为下一代主流制程技术。”邱慈云强调，除非有来自客户对FDSOI的明确需求，中芯不会贸然承诺提供该技术。
邱慈云并坦承，中芯已经从IBM取得一些重要的技术授权，但是在28nmHKMG 制程方面：“并不是以IBM的授权技术为基础，我们是与IBM共同研发，使用一些我们自有的技术。”
本文授权编译自EE Times，版权所有，谢绝转载
本文下一页：持续募资扩产
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• 武汉新芯化身XMC，与中芯国际再无瓜葛
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• 发展迟滞，中国芯片制造、封装业急待转型升级5bEesmc
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持续募资扩产
在投资先进制程技术之外，晶圆代工业者也持续面临着为扩充产能而继续投入资本支出的压力。中芯在2000年成立，获得中国政府不少资金支持；当时的中芯开创 了一个全新的商业模式，也就是与中国各地方政府洽谈晶圆厂兴建事宜，再交由该公司管理。但这种商业模式虽让中芯得以节省成本，却无法维持长久。
刚将识别标志改成“XMC”的武汉新芯(Wuhan Xinxin Semiconductor Manufacturing)，一开始也是由中芯负责营运，但所有权是武汉地方政府；XMC的管理高层最近接受访问时表示，该公司已经是独立的晶圆代工业新秀，并非中芯的姊妹公司(可参考相关阅读)。
那么目前中芯的北京厂募资情况如何？邱慈云表示，该公司北京厂已经从投资界找到增资金援：“中芯国际需要获利，重振投资人的信心。”他指出，中芯打算透过北京市政府所拥有的投资基金，让北京厂成为一座合资晶圆厂，但相关事宜还在讨论阶段。
中芯是否也将取得中国中央政府的资金支持？对此邱慈云表示：“目前没有，我们只与地方政府层级接触。”但他也强调，中国对半导体产业的态度十分友善，也对全球业者的投资抱持开放态度，包括Hynix、Samsung都曾在中国兴建大型晶圆厂。
本文授权编译自EE Times，版权所有，谢绝转载
编译：Judith Cheng
参考英文原文：Exclusive: China chip CEO details SMIC's foundry plans，by Junko Yoshida
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• 武汉新芯化身XMC，与中芯国际再无瓜葛
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• 发展迟滞，中国芯片制造、封装业急待转型升级5bEesmc
{pagination}
Exclusive: China chip CEO details SMIC's foundry plans
Junko Yoshida
SMIC CEO Tzu-Yin Chiu hopes to put to bed the industry’s image of the Chinese foundry as hip-deep in red ink and fighting TSMC in court.
SHANGHAI – Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC), for the first time in a long time, has a good story to tell.
The company hopes to put to bed the industry’s collective memory of SMIC as a huge Chinese foundry hip-deep in red ink, pursued by its Taiwanese rival in litigation, and paralyzed by internal management turmoil.
In contrast, the new SMIC comes with record-high revenue—$1.7 billion for the full year of 2012—positive income of $15.9 million (the company’s highest in seven years), and a smiling, personable CEO, Tzu-Yin Chiu, who took the company’s helm in August, 2011.
In the first one-on-one interview given to the Western media since he became SMIC’s CEO, Chiu carefully chose his words as he laid out his company’s short, medium and long-term strategies Thursday (March 21). In an exclusive conversation with EE Times at SMIC headquarters here, he touched on everything from the company’s sub 40-nm strategy to his view on fully depleted silicon on insulator (FDSOI) technology. He also covered SMIC’s relationship with IBM and financing for its Beijing fab expansion.
The most telling sign of the new SMIC is found in Chiu’s focus on “utilization, differentiation and advanced technology”– with priority in that order, not the reverse.
SMIC's CEO Tzu-Yin Chiu
Instead of speaking with bravado of how he plans to compete with the world’s biggest foundry—Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC)—the low-key CEO spoke more about execution. In Chiu’s mind, the pressing issue for SMIC is to demonstrate to the world that SMIC can “continue to grow and thrive in a foundry environment,” as he put it.
If the last several quarters are any indications, the new plan is going well. But the obvious question is whether the good news keeps coming. How long can SMIC sustain its current quarter-after-quarter growth?
As the chip industry knows, the foundry business is not for the faint-hearted. The semiconductor market regularly revolves in cycles of shortage and overcapacity, with sometimes dramatic fluctuations in end-market demands, while everyone sweats the future of next-node process technology.
Cautiously, Chiu’s interview rarely strayed from SMIC’s message. But he proudly cited a survey published by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's China Software and Integrated Circuit Promotion Center (CSIP) in November 2012, which noted that 75 percent of Chinese fabless companies chose SMIC as their preferred foundry partner. That number in the same survey a year before was only 59 percent.
“Our customers are recognizing the quality of our service, and especially speed,” said Chiu.
Speed is critical for customers whose survival depends on product turn-around time. For that, “we need to offer them a reasonably complete IP portfolio and characterization,” he said. “And we must get it right the first time.” For some products, SMIC’s turn-around time these days is as short as four months. For other products, it’s six to seven months.
One SMIC advantage today is the big success of some emerging China fabless companies. As Spreadtrum’s CEO Leo Li noted and SMIC’s Chiu confirmed, Spreadtrum, for example, is one of the “the biggest” and “most important customers” of SMIC. But, once Spreadtrum, which currently gets its chips made at TSMC, SMIC and UMC, moves to a 28-nm node for the company’s SoCs in the fourth quarter of this year, Li said that Spreadtrum is going to TSMC. “But of course, SMIC is also moving to 28-nm. We’ll work with them, if not next year, then in 2015,” said Li.
Fab utilization
Although SMIC saw “a slight drop” its fab utilization ratio, Chiu said that he’s “happy about the loading situation.” According to company data, SMIC’s fourth-quarter utilization rate in 2012 was 91 percent, after reaching 95 percent in the second quarter.
Over the next few years, the most important for SMIC will be the company’s differentiation strategy. “We bring our mature technology to add additional capabilities,” said Chiu.
SMIC’s team reportedly identified “nine market segments,” according to Chiu, where the company thinks it can win through differentiation. He declined to share the entire list, citing competitive reasons. But it includes smart cards, CMOS image sensors and power management ICs.
One of the hottest areas Chiu sees is the Chinese government push for smart cards. This covers SIM cards, social security and health-care, transportation and bank cards. Potential volume aside, cards need to be designed differently–specific to each application, said Chiu. This allows SMIC to work closely with local card vendors and provide differentiation. SMIC’s specialty includes “low power dissipation” especially for smart cards in contactless applications, Chiu said.
Chiu also sees SMIC as a key CMOS image-sensor foundry. SMIC has identified a burgeoning demand for cameras in smartphones, feature phones, home security and surveillance.
SMIC reportedly scored a breakthrough in the development of backside-illuminated (BSI) CMOS image-sensor technology in the last quarter. Chiu noted, during the most recent quarterly financial results call: “The first fab chip demonstrated good image quality. The complete BSI process technology is targeted to contribute revenue in 2014.”
BSI delivers higher resolution to mobile phone cameras and high performance video cameras. This, in turn, allows SMIC customers to address the higher-end market. The differences SMIC can offer in this application include “low leakage capability,” according to Chiu.
Sub 40-nm processes
Perhaps the toughest challenge facing SMIC--and most essential to the foundry’s long-term survival--is the issue of advanced technology.
To keep pace with rivals like TSMC and GlobalFoundries, SMIC must make substantial investments in advanced technology. Yet, the company needs to tread carefully, watching closely both customer demands and the competition’s next steps.
As for 28-nm node, SMIC’s Shanghai facility has been working on its R&D, while high-volume production will take place in SMIC’s Beijing fab. “We will start accepting customers’ tapeout by the end of 2013,” Chiu noted.
He noted that SMIC’s 28-nm offering will be both high-K, metal gate (HKMG) and poly/SiON. Similarly, SMIC’s 20-nm chips will be both planar and FinFET, Chiu said. “We can’t lose our customers” by not doing one or the other, he explained.
When asked about SMIC’s interest in FDSOI, Chiu said, “From a pure physics’ point of view, I think FDSOI has very high potential. I think it gives a competitive device structure.”
But he added, as with many things in life, “Perhaps, this is not the issue of technology but more a matter marketing. It all depends on how many customers will accept FDSOI, and whether FDSOI can build enough of a following,” he said. “Unless there is a clear indication from our customers that FDSOI is what they want,” SMIC is not likely to commit to it.
Chiu acknowledged that SMIC has licensed significant technologies from IBM. But as for the 28-nm HKMG development, Chiu noted, “This is not based on a licensing program with IBM. We are jointly developing it with IBM, using some of our own technology.”
Financing strategy
Beyond investments in advanced technology, foundries are constantly under pressure to keep up capital expenditures for capacity expansions.
SMIC was founded in 2000, with generous financial backing from the Chinese government. SMIC then pioneered a new business model under which the foundry talks municipalities into building a capital intensive fab while SMIC agrees to manage it.
The model has helped lower SMIC’s capital costs--most of the time but not always. Wuhan Xinxin Semiconductor Manufacturing, now called XMC, was orignially operated by SMIC but owned by a local government, in this case, Wuhan.
Now that the Wuhan foundry is called XMC, the new management team at XMC earlier this week declared that the Wuhan-based fab is “an independent foundry startup--not SMIC’s sister company.” The fab’s ownership is still in the hands of the city of Wuhan. SMIC never bought it back, and it’s now being run by Simon Yang, SMIC’s former COO who resigned the company after Chiu became SMIC’s CEO.
How has SMIC’s Beijing fab been financed?
SMIC, by going to the investment community for its Beijing fab, is raising funds internally. “SMIC needs to execute profitability and regain confidence from investors,” said Chiu.
SMIC's rising revenue by quarter
source: SMIC
SMIC is planning to make it a joint-venture fab, “by leveraging investment funds owned by the Beijing municipal government,” according to Chiu.
The investments for SMIC’s Beijing expansion, however, are still under discussion.
Any funding or help from the Chinese central government? “No, so far, we’ve only gotten to the local level,” said Chiu. But Chiu hastened to point out that China has been very friendly, and open to the global semiconductor industry. Companies such as Hynix, Samsung and Intel have been all benefited, building mega-fabs in China, he added.
责编：Quentin
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