December 10, 2008
TSMC November 2008 Sales Report
TSMC today announced its net sales for November 2008: on an unconsolidated basis, sales were NT$19,295 million, a decrease of 32.0 percent from October 2008 and a decrease of 36.0 percent from November 2007. Revenues for January through November 2008 totaled NT$308,606 million, an increase of 8.5 percent compared to the same period in 2007. On a consolidated basis, net sales for November 2008 were NT$20,644 million, a decrease of 30.0 percent from October 2008 and a decrease of 34.0 percent from November 2007. Revenues for January through November 2008 totaled NT$318,729 million, an increase of 8.9 percent compared to the same period in 2007.
December 01, 2008
TSMC’s Fourth-Quarter Business Guidance Revised
TSMC today announced that fourth-quarter business will be below the company’s previous guidance given on October 30, 2008 due to a reduction of wafer shipment resulting from continuing weakness in global economic conditions. The company now expects fourth-quarter revenue to be between NT$63 billion and NT$65 billion, lower than the previous expectation of between NT$69 billion and NT$71 billion. The company’s expectation for fourth-quarter gross profit margin is now between 30% and 32%, and operating profit margin is between 17% and 19%, lower than the previous guidance by 4 percentage points each.
November 17, 2008
TSMC Ramps 40nm Volume Production to Promote Innovation as Foundries Assume a Larger Role for $300 Billion Industry
TSMC today announced volume production of the first semiconductor foundry 40nm logic manufacturing process with the successful ramp of its 40 nanometer (nm) General Purpose (G) and Low Power (LP) versions. Nanometers measure the width of metal lines in semiconductors. Forty nanometers is less than one-thousandth the width of a human hair. The 40nm process is one of the semiconductor industry’s most advanced available for production manufacturing process and is expected to play a key role in the development of next generation products in global consumer electronics, mobile, and computer end markets. TSMC’s 40nm G and the 40nm low power (LP) manufacturing processes timetables were formally announced in March this year. The 40G process targets performance-driven applications including computer processor chips, GPU (graphic processing units), game consoles, networking applications, field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), hard disc drive, and other devices. The 40LP process targets low-power applications including cellular baseband, application processors, portable consumer and wireless connectivity devices.
November 11, 2008
TSMC Board Approves Cancellation of Treasury Shares
TSMC’s Board of Directors today approved a plan to cancel 278,875,000 treasury shares repurchased from the open market between August 13 and October 12, 2008. In addition, the Board of Directors set November 19, 2008 as the record date for the capital reduction. The shares to be cancelled make up some 1.07 percent of total issued shares, and the cancellation will reduce TSMC’s registered capital stock by NT$2,788.75 million to approximately NT$256,253 million.
November 10, 2008
TSMC October 2008 Sales Report
TSMC today announced its net sales for October 2008: on an unconsolidated basis, sales were NT$28,371 million, an increase of 0.4 percent over September 2008 and a decrease of 10.6 percent from October 2007. Revenues for January through October 2008 totaled NT$289,312 million, an increase of 13.7 percent compared to the same period in 2007. On a consolidated basis, net sales for October 2008 were NT$29,490 million, an increase of 0.6 percent over September 2008 and a decrease of 9.6 percent from October 2007. Revenues for January through October 2008 totaled NT$298,085 million, an increase of 14.0 percent compared to the same period in 2007.
October 13, 2008
MAPPER and TSMC Take Next Step in Exploring Multiple E-beam Lithography for IC Manufacturing at 22 nanometer node and Beyond
MAPPER Lithography and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) signed an agreement, according to which MAPPER will ship its first 300 mm multiple-electron-beam maskless lithography platform for process development and device prototyping to TSMC. This platform gives TSMC the opportunity to take the next step forward in exploring multiple e-beam technology as a lithography option at 22 nanometer and more advanced process nodes. Multiple e-beam maskless lithography uses over 10,000 electron beams working in parallel to directly write circuit patterns on a wafer, eliminating the need for the costly photomasks used in current lithography machines.
October 30, 2008
TSMC Reports Third Quarter EPS of NT$1.18
TSMC today announced consolidated revenue of NT$92.98 billion, net income of NT$30.57 billion, and diluted earnings per share of NT$1.18 (US$0.19 per ADS unit) for the third quarter ended September 30, 2008. Year-over-year, third quarter revenue increased 4.5% while net income and diluted EPS increased 0.7% and 4.9%, respectively. On a sequential basis, third quarter results represent a 5.5% increase in revenue, an increase of 6.3% in net income, and an increase of 7.5% in diluted EPS. All figures were prepared in accordance with R.O.C. GAAP on a consolidated basis.
October 09, 2008
TSMC September 2008 Sales Report
TSMC today announced its net sales for September 2008: on an unconsolidated basis, sales were NT$28,252 million, a decrease of 8.9 percent from August 2008 and a decrease of 0.9 percent from September 2007. Revenues for January through September 2008 totaled NT$260,941 million, an increase of 17.2 percent compared to the same period in 2007. On a consolidated basis, net sales for September 2008 were NT$29,315 million, a decrease of 8.0 percent from August 2008 and a decrease of 0.5 percent from September 2007. Revenues for January through September 2008 totaled NT$268,595 million, an increase of 17.4 percent compared to the same period in 2007.
September 10, 2008
TSMC August 2008 Sales Report
TSMC today announced its net sales for August 2008: on an unconsolidated basis, sales were NT$30,995 million, an increase of 0.4 percent over July 2008 and an increase of 6.2 percent over August 2007. Revenues for January through August 2008 totaled NT$232,689 million, an increase of 19.8 percent compared to the same period in 2007. On a consolidated basis, net sales for August 2008 were NT$31,850 million, an increase of 0.1 percent over July 2008 and an increase of 6.1 percent over August 2007. Revenues for January through August 2008 totaled NT$239,281 million, an increase of 20.1 percent compared to the same period in 2007.
August 14, 2008
Philips Completes Exit of TSMC Shareholding
TSMC today announced that the multi-phased plan for Philips’ exit from its TSMC shareholding, as announced in March 2007, has come to an orderly and successful conclusion. Philips today sold all of its remaining TSMC common shares through a block trade to long-term financial investors mutually agreed by Philips and TSMC.
August 12, 2008
TSMC Board Approves Plan to Buy Back Shares
TSMC’s Board of Directors today approved a plan to repurchase up to NT$16.5 billion (approximately US$542 million), or no more than 283 million shares, of the Company’s common shares from the open market. TSMC plans to buy back shares at a price in the range of NT$42.85 to NT$86.20 per share from August 13 to October 12, 2008 and cancel the repurchased shares.
In addition, the Board of Directors also passed the following resolutions at its meeting:
- Approved capital appropriations of US$687.60 million to expand 45nm and 40nm manufacturing capacity at 12-inch fabs.
- Approved capital appropriations of US$107.40 million in eight-inch fab equipment to upgrade a portion of 0.18 micron logic process capacity to 0.11 micron CMOS image sensor, 0.11 micron logic, 0.13 micron high voltage, and 0.18 RF process capacity. In addition, the appropriation will also be used to upgrade a portion of 0.35 micron logic process capacity to MEMS process.
- Approved TSMC’s merger of its 100%-owned subsidiary, Hsin Ruey Investment Co. Ltd.
- Approved semi-annual financial statements for the first half of 2008. Consolidated revenue for the January-June period was NT$175.617 billion, and net profits were NT$56.914 billion.
August 08, 2008
TSMC July 2008 Sales Report
TSMC today announced its net sales for July 2008: on an unconsolidated basis, sales were NT$30,869 million, an increase of 8.3 percent over June 2008 and an increase of 7.3 percent over July 2007. Revenues for January through July 2008 totaled NT$201,694 million, an increase of 22.3 percent compared to the same period in 2007. On a consolidated basis, net sales for July 2008 were NT$31,814 million, an increase of 7.9 percent over June 2008 and an increase of 7.9 percent over July 2007. Revenues for January through July 2008 totaled NT$207,431 million, an increase of 22.5 percent compared to the same period in 2007.
July 31, 2008
TSMC Reports Second Quarter EPS of NT$1.12
TSMC today announced consolidated revenue of NT$88.14 billion, net income of NT$28.77 billion, and diluted earnings per share of NT$1.12 (US$0.18 per ADS unit) for the second quarter ended June 30, 2008. Year-over-year, second quarter revenue increased 17.6% while net income and diluted EPS increased 12.9% and 16.3%, respectively. On a sequential basis, second quarter results represent a 0.8% increase in revenue, an increase of 2.2% in net income, and an increase of 2.1% in diluted EPS. All figures were prepared in accordance with R.O.C. GAAP on a consolidated basis.
July 10, 2008
TSMC June 2008 Sales Report
TSMC today announced its net sales for June 2008: on an unconsolidated basis, sales were NT$28,510 million, a decrease of 1.7 percent from May 2008 and an increase of 12.9 percent over June 2007. Revenues for January through June 2008 totaled NT$170,824 million, an increase of 25.4 percent compared to the same period in 2007. On a consolidated basis, net sales for June 2008 were NT$29,473 million, a decrease of 1.1 percent from May 2008 and an increase of 12.9 percent over June 2007. Revenues for January through June 2008 totaled NT$175,617 million, an increase of 25.6 percent compared to the same period in 2007.
July 03, 2008
TSMC Material Information
Due to recent market information and rumors that have led to diverging views of TSMC’s business outlook, TSMC would like to make the following clarification:
“According to our current estimates, TSMC’s second-quarter revenue, gross profit margin, and operating profit margin are all in line with or slightly higher than guidance announced at the end of April,” said Lora Ho, TSMC’s spokesperson and Chief Financial Officer. “Third quarter revenue is expected to grow from the second quarter, while gross profit margin and operating profit margin are expected to maintain second-quarter levels. In addition, TSMC maintains its forecast of approximately 5 percent growth in semiconductor industry revenues this year.”
In addition, TSMC announced a share buyback program on May 13 as part of a plan to facilitate Philips’ orderly exit from its shareholding in TSMC. The announced program stated that TSMC would repurchase its own common shares from the open market between May 14 and July 13, 2008, and cancel the repurchased shares.
In order to distribute the dividend approved at the Company’s June 13 shareholder meeting in a timely fashion, TSMC set July 22 as the 2008 dividend record date, and notified the Taiwan Stock Exchange of the ex-dividend date on July 1 in accordance with exchange regulations. As required by the Taiwan Securities and Future Bureau, a company may not repurchase shares between the announcement of its ex-dividend date and two days before the shareholders’ register is closed. Due to this requirement, TSMC could not carry out further share buybacks beginning July 1. At the same time, Philips also ceased selling TSMC shares beginning July 1. According to TSMC and Philips’ consensus, Philips will not conduct any future sales of TSMC shares on the open market without the agreement of TSMC.
July 01, 2008
TSMC Common Share Ex-dividend Date July 16th
TSMC today announced that the ex-dividend date for TSMC common shares shall be July 16, 2008. The dividends include a cash dividend of NT$3.02507290 for each common share and a stock distribution of 5.04178823 shares per 1,000 common shares.
June 26, 2008
TSMC Sets July 22 Record Date for Common Share Dividends
TSMC today set July 22, 2008 as the record date for its common stock entitled to participate in this cash and stock dividend distribution. The ex-dividend date for TSMC common shares shall be July 16, 2008. As required by Article 165 of Taiwan’s Company Law, the shareholders' register shall be closed for five days prior to the record date (July 18 through July 22, 2008) for registration transfer.
June 13, 2008
TSMC Shareholders Approve NT$3.0 Cash and 0.5% Stock Dividend
TSMC today held a shareholders’ meeting at which shareholders approved the distribution of a NT$3.0 cash dividend per common share and a 0.5 percent stock dividend (5 shares for every 1,000 owned).
TSMC Clarifies Monolithic Power Systems Stock Transfer
TSMC today clarified the company’s SEC filing of receiving 1.8 million shares of Monolithic Power Systems (MPS), characterizing the transaction as an investment distribution outcome and not a corporate strategic investment decision. “Monolithic Power Systems (MPS) was a company invested in by InveStar Semiconductor Development Fund and InveStar Semiconductor Development Fund II since early 1999. These two venture capital funds are invested by TSMC and managed by InveStar Capital who makes investment decisions independently. As is a common practice in the venture capital industry, ISDF and ISDF II have made a distribution of their publicly listed shares back to the fund investors, from which TSMC International received 1,850,623 shares of MPS on May 29, 2008. These shares are classified as "financial asset at fair value through profit or loss" in TSMC's consolidated balance sheet before their disposal," said Lora Ho, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, TSMC. This transaction does not alter TSMC’s business model or business principle.
June 10, 2008
TSMC May 2008 Sales Report
TSMC today announced its net sales for May 2008: on an unconsolidated basis, sales were NT$28,990 million, an increase of 3.2 percent over April 2008 and an increase of 15.5 percent over May 2007. Revenues for January through May 2008 totaled NT$142,314 million, an increase of 28.3 percent compared to the same period in 2007. On a consolidated basis, net sales for May 2008 were NT$29,801 million, an increase of 3.3 percent over April 2008 and an increase of 15.9 percent over May 2007. Revenues for January through May 2008 totaled NT$146,144 million, an increase of 28.5 percent compared to the same period in 2007.
May 13, 2008
TSMC Board Approves Plan to Buy Back and Cancel Shares
TSMC’s Board of Directors today held a meeting and approved a plan to repurchase up to US$1 billion (approximately NT$30.43 billion), or no more than 500 million shares, of the Company’s common shares from the open market. TSMC plans to buy back shares at a price in the range of NT$48.25 to NT$100.50 per share from May 14 to July 13, 2008 and cancel the repurchased shares. TSMC and Philips agreed in March 2007 to a multi-phased plan to facilitate an orderly exit by Philips from its current shareholding in TSMC, and the first three phases of this plan were completed last year. “This buyback program by TSMC is part of the fourth phase of the multi-phase plan and Philips intends to continue participating in this program,” said TSMC Spokesperson and Chief Financial Officer Lora Ho. “It has been, and still is, Philips' intention not to sell TSMC shares other than during the period of a TSMC buyback program.” Philips currently holds approximately five percent of TSMC’s common shares, with a market value of approximately US$2.8 billion. In addition, TSMC’s Board of Directors also approved capital appropriation of US$995 million to expand Fab 12 and increase its advanced process capacity.
May 09, 2008
TSMC April 2008 Sales Report
TSMC today announced its net sales for April 2008: on an unconsolidated basis, sales were NT$28,094 million, an increase of 5.8 percent over March 2008 and an increase of 24.8 percent over April 2007. Revenues for January through April 2008 totaled NT$113,324 million, an increase of 32.0 percent compared to the same period in 2007. On a consolidated basis, net sales for April 2008 were NT$28,863 million, an increase of 6.4 percent over March 2008 and an increase of 25.0 percent over April 2007. Revenues for January through April 2008 totaled NT$116,343 million, an increase of 32.2 percent compared to the same period in 2007.
April 29, 2008
TSMC Reports First Quarter EPS of NT$1.10
TSMC today announced consolidated revenue of NT$87.5 billion, net income of NT$28.14 billion, and diluted earnings per share of NT$1.10 (US$0.17 per ADS unit) for the first quarter ended March 31, 2008. Year-over-year, first quarter revenue increased 34.8% while net income and diluted EPS increased 49.4% and 54%, respectively. On a sequential basis, first quarter results represent a 6.8% decrease in revenue, a decrease of 18.4% in net income, and a decrease of 16.4% in diluted EPS. All figures were prepared in accordance with R.O.C. GAAP on a consolidated basis.
April 10, 2008
TSMC March 2008 Sales Report
TSMC today announced its net sales for March 2008: on an unconsolidated basis, sales were NT$26,562 million, a decrease of 6.4 percent from February 2008 and an increase of 21.2 percent over March 2007. Revenues for January through March 2008 totaled NT$85,230 million, an increase of 34.5 percent compared to the same period in 2007. On a consolidated basis, net sales for March 2008 were NT$ 27,128 million, a decrease of 7.4 percent from February 2008 and an increase of 20.2 percent over March 2007. Revenues for January through March 2008 totaled NT$87,480 million, an increase of 34.8 percent compared to the same period in 2007.
March 10, 2008
TSMC February 2008 Sales Report
TSMC today announced its net sales for February 2008: on an unconsolidated basis, sales were NT$28,382 million, a decrease of 6.3 percent from January 2008 and an increase of 37.9 percent over February 2007. Revenues for January through February 2008 totaled NT$58,668 million, an increase of 41.6 percent compared to the same period in 2007. On a consolidated basis, net sales for February 2008 were NT$ 29,282 million, a decrease of 5.8 percent from January 2008 and an increase of 39.8 percent over February 2007. Revenues for January through February 2008 totaled NT$60,352 million, an increase of 42.6 percent compared to the same period in 2007.
February 19, 2008
TSMC Board Proposes Dividend of NT$3.0 Cash and 0.5% Stock Per Share
Board of Directors today adopted a proposal recommending distribution of NT$3.0 cash dividend per common share and 0.5 percent stock dividend (5 shares for every 1,000 owned). The proposal will be discussed and brought to a vote at the Company’s regular shareholders' meeting scheduled for June 13, 2008.
TSMC’s Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Ms. Lora Ho said that at its meeting today the Board of Directors:
- Approved the 2007 Business Report and Financial Statements. Revenue for 2007 totaled NT$322,630 million and net income was NT$109,177 million, with earnings per share of NT$4.14.
- Approved a proposal for distribution of 2007 profits and capitalization of capital surplus:
(1) Cash dividend of NT$3.0 per share and 0.2% stock dividend will be proposed to common shareholders. In addition, the board will propose another 0.3% share issuance from capitalization of capital surplus. Combined, common shareholders will be entitled to a 0.5% stock distribution, or 5 shares for every 1,000 held.
(2) Employee profit sharing will be distributed in both stock and cash. Profit sharing will amount to approximately 393.99 million new shares and NT$3,939.9 million cash.
- Approved the cancellation of 800 million treasury shares purchased from the open market as well as reduction of capital stock by NT$8,000 million, and set February 27, 2008 as the record date for said capital reduction.
- Approved capital appropriation of US$400 million (approximately NT$12,800 million) to increase twelve-inch wafer capacity at 45nm processes in Fab 12.
- Appointed Y.P. Chin and Dr. N.S. Tsai as Vice Presidents of TSMC.
February 19, 2008
Sun selects TSMC to Fab 45-nanometer and future generation processors
Sun Microsystems Inc. today announced that it had selected TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company) as its foundry partner for processors based on a 45-nanometer design as well as future generations. Sun will continue to design its chips while long-time Sun partner Texas Instruments (TI) will continue to test and build the 45-nanometer processors in TSMC. Sun, which currently designs processors based on 90- and 65-nanometer processes, is moving to the smaller 45-nanometer to allow more circuitry to be squeezed onto the same amount of silicon. The result: chip designers are free to add new features such as processing cores or encryption engines that improve overall chip performance. More Threads -Importantly, the 45-nanometer design process also allows Sun to increase the number of threads per processor. More threads, when combined with Sun's Solaris 10 Operating System (OS), hold the promise of delivering industry-leading performance at substantially reduced energy consumption.
February 14, 2008
TSMC January 2008 Sales Report
TSMC today announced its net sales for January 2008: on an unconsolidated basis, sales were NT$30,286 million, an increase of 4.0 percent over December 2007 and an increase of 45.2 percent over January 2007.
November 17, 2008
TSMC Ramps Most Advanced Available Process Technology to Volume Production
TSMC has announced volume production of the foundry segment’s only 40nm semiconductor manufacturing process with the successful ramp of its 40nm General Purpose (G) and Low Power (LP) versions. A comprehensive design infrastructure including library, IP, design flow, engineering service, and monthly CyberShuttle™ prototyping vehicles is also ready for these two processes. The 40nm process is one of the semiconductor industry’s most advanced manufacturing process technology. TSMC’s 40nm G and LP processes were formally announced in March as part of the company’s advanced technology offering. The 40G process targets performance-driven applications including CPU, GPU (graphic processing units), game consoles, networking, FPGA, hard disc drive, and other devices. The 40LP process targets low power applications including cellular baseband, application processors, portable consumer and wireless connectivity devices.
June 09, 2008
TSMC Unified DFM Architecture Promises Improved Yields and Accelerated Time-to-Market
TSMC today unveiled a new Unified Design For Manufacturing (UDFM) architecture that targets 32nm process technology and smaller geometries and improves yields, lowers design costs and accelerates time-to-market and time-to-volume. The newly-created UDFM provides a unified, encapsulated access to TSMC foundry data and was developed in collaboration with EDA vendors and other design infrastructure partners. The TSMC UDFM is also one of the key collaborative components of the company’s recently unveiled Open Innovation Platform™. Open Innovation Platform™ is a platform for innovations, hosted by TSMC and open to TSMC customers and partners. It is built on TSMC’s design-enabling building blocks and an ecosystem interface. The TSMC UDFM architecture includes a new DFM Design Kit (DDK) that, for the first time encapsulates, an embedded DFM software engine with an interoperable API in addition to the process-related DFM data and models. UDFM brings an exact copy of TSMC’s factory tool chain and process models into IC design tool chains, providing chip designers with deeper access into more of TSMC’s manufacturing data than ever before. This “copy exact” method compensates for increasing manufacturing variances in advanced process technologies, radically improves design alignment between simulated hotspots and actual manufacturing hotspots, and delivers timely accuracy to the design ecosystem. The new DFM architecture handles very large DFM dataset and design complexity, resulting in reduced design cycle time and faster time-to-market and volume.
June 03, 2008
New TSMC Reference Flow 9.0 Supports 40nm Process Technology
TSMC today introduced Reference Flow 9.0, the latest version of TSMC’s industry-leading design methodology to lower design obstacles, improve design margins, and increase yields of its 40nm process technology. Reference Flow 9.0 is also one of the key collaborative components of the company’s recently unveiled Open Innovation Platform™. The TSMC Open Innovation Platform™ efficiently and openly encourages the speedy implementation of innovation amongst the semiconductor design community, its ecosystem partners and TSMC’s IP, design implementation and DFM capabilities, process technology and backend services. A key element of the Open Innovation Platform™ is a set of ecosystem interfaces and collaborative components initiated and supported by TSMC that more efficiently empowers innovation throughout the supply chain and which enables the creation and sharing of newly created revenue and profitability. TSMC’s Active Accuracy Assurance (AAA) initiative is a critical part of the Open Innovation Platform™, providing the accuracy and quality required by the ecosystem interfaces and collaborative components.
May 05, 2008
Intel, Samsung Electronics, TSMC reach agreement for 450mm wafer manufacturing transition
Intel Corporation, Samsung Electronics and TSMC today announced they have reached agreement on the need for industry-wide collaboration to target a transition to larger, 450mm-sized wafers starting in 2012. The transition to larger wafers will enable continued growth of the semiconductor industry and helps maintain a reasonable cost structure for future integrated circuit manufacturing and applications. The companies will cooperate with the semiconductor industry to help ensure that all of the required components, infrastructure and capability are developed and tested for a pilot line by this target date. Historically, manufacturing with larger wafers helps increase the ability to produce semiconductors at a lower cost. The total silicon surface area of a 450mm wafer and the number of printed die (individual computer chips, for example) is more than twice that of a 300mm wafer. The bigger wafers help lower the production cost per chip. Additionally, through more efficient use of energy, water and other resources, bigger wafers can help diminish overall use of resources per chip. For example, the conversion from 200mm wafers to 300mm wafers helped reduce aggregate emissions per chip of air pollution, global warming gasses and water, and further reduction is expected with a transition to 450mm wafers.
April 22, 2008
TSMC Unveils New 40/65-Nanometer SPICE Tool Qualification Program
TSMC today unveiled at its opening 2008 Technology Symposium a comprehensive SPICE Tool Qualification Program that drives its Design Service ecosystem partners to develop SPICE simulators with greater accuracy and higher performance. Targeting TSMC’s 65-, 40-nanometer (nm) and smaller geometry process technologies, the program’s benefits include improved device model accuracy, enhanced simulation efficiency, and compatibility across a wide selection of qualified SPICE simulators. The program also improves simulation accuracy, shortens transistor-level simulation cycle time, increases simulation capacity, and ultimately enables faster time-to-market and first time silicon success. To address emerging nanometer effects associated with the 40nm technology and beyond, the company is introducing iSDK, interoperable SPICE Design Kit, together with the TSMC’s Model Interface (TMI), a new device modeling innovation and simulation performance improvement. Written in standard C language, iSDK with TMI is a new method for compact SPICE device modeling that is an addition to the traditional, and slower macro modeling approach. TSMC will provide iSDK through a common compiled shared library that will link directly to a vendors’ SPICE simulators.
April 15, 2008
TSMC Announces Power Trim Service for Advanced Chip Leakage Power Reduction
TSMC today announced that it has signed an exclusive agreement with Blaze DFM, Inc. to offer Power Trim Service, a new service offering combining a patented Blaze power optimization technology with special variations of TSMC's advanced manufacturing process. Under the terms of the agreement, TSMC will make available to its customers the Power Trim Service which provides significant leakage power reduction while maintaining chip performance and area. In addition to delivering substantial reductions in leakage power above and beyond existing techniques already employed in the chip, the Power Trim Service also significantly reduces leakage power variability, a critical power issue to overcome in next generation system-on-chip (SoC) designs.
March 24, 2008
TSMC First to Deliver 40nm Process Technology
TSMC today unveiled the foundry’s first 40 nanometer (nm) manufacturing process technology. The new node supports a performance-driven general purpose (40G) technology and a power-efficient low power (40LP) technology. It features a full design service package and a design ecosystem that covers verified third party IP, third party EDA tools, TSMC-generated SPICE models and foundation IPs. First wafers out are expected in the second quarter of 2008.
Highlights:
·A 2.35 times raw gate density improvement over 65nm
·Active power down-scaling of up to 15% over 45nm
·Smallest SRAM cell size and macro size in the industry
·General Purpose and Low Power versions for broad product applications
·Dozens of customers in the design pipeline today
·Frequent and regular CyberShuttleTM, MPW prototyping running
November 05, 2008
TSMC Adds New High Voltage Features to Advanced 0.13-micron Processes Aimed at High Resolution Display Drivers
TSMC has enhanced its 0.13um process technology with immediate availability of a 1.5/6/32V technology, targeted at high resolution mobile handset display drivers. The high-yield process features an Aluminum Copper (AlCu) backend metal scheme and is designed to meet energy reduction targets, while responding to the market’s demand for smaller line width options, reducing die size in next-generation high-resolution display driver ICs. The growing popularity of mobile TV and internet browsing demands a new generation of portable displays that feature high resolution and excellent power performance. The new 1.5/6/32V technology cuts die size requirements for new high-resolution mobile handset display drivers, while providing the high drive voltages required at the smaller 0.13um geometry. TSMC’s new process is particularly compact and provides the smallest SRAM bit cell of any commercial foundry, at no compromise to speed and stand-by power. It also adds the necessary core voltage under-drive range, at 1.2V, to meet the most stringent green panel requirements. Furthermore innovative new fuse implementations simplify display optimization and matching during production testing.
October 16, 2008
TSMC Holds 2008 Green Forum on "Present and Future of Green Factories"
TSMC today held the “2008 Green Forum – The Present and Future of Green Factories”. In addition to sharing its own experience in domestic and foreign “green building” certification processes, TSMC also invited organizations including China Steel, AU Optronics, National Cheng Kung University, National Taipei University of Technology, and the Archetecture and Building Research Institute, Ministry of the Interior, to discuss green building topics. The TSMC 2008 Green Forum is also the first event of the newly-established Taiwan Corporate Sustainability Forum, a series of cross-industry discussions on environmental protection. At this meeting, TSMC shared its hands-on experience in obtaining the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, and applying for Taiwan’s Ecology, Energy Saving, Waste Reduction, and Health (EEWH) certification for its Fab 14 Phase III facility. TSMC also proposed working with green building experts to draft guidelines for green industrial buildings in Taiwan, helping more domestic companies construct their own green factories and promote green manufacturing. TSMC’s Fab 14 Phase III uses innovative systems designs as well as energy and power-conserving materials and equipment, and was able to reduce energy consumption 20 percent below standards set by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). Some 91 percent of Fab 14 Phase III’s construction waste was recycled, and in the future, TSMC aims to raise the water recycling rate of Fab14 Phase III to more than 90 percent at full capacity. TSMC has also pledged to obtain green building certification for all new facilities, and will use green building guidelines to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions for existing facilities.
September 26, 2008
TSMC Selected As DJSI Member For Eighth Straight Year and Joins Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index For First Time
TSMC today announced that the company has been selected as a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI) for an eighth consecutive year, and has also been chosen by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) to join the Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index (CDLI) for the first time. TSMC is the only Taiwan Company to enter the CDLI. The Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes were launched in 1999 and TSMC joined in 2001. TSMC was the first Taiwan company to join the DJSI, and the only Taiwan company selected for membership for eight consecutive years. The DJSI evaluates companies along economic, environmental, and social dimensions, and this year TSMC achieved the highest scores in the semiconductor industry for “risk and crisis management”, “product quality and recall management”, “environmental policy/management system” and “climate strategy”. TSMC’s outstanding overall performance in all three dimensions has once again affirmed the company’s achievements and commitment to sustainable development.
August 07, 2008
TSMC Fab 14, Phase 3 Wins LEED Green Building Certification With“Gold Class”Score
TSMC announced today that its Fab 14, Phase 3 facility based in Southern Taiwan Science Park won certification from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – New Construction (LEED-NC) green building rating system with a “gold class” score. Fab 14, Phase 3 is the first building in Taiwan to receive certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. TSMC initiated a green building program in 2006 to strengthen environmental protection and energy conservation. The program covers design and construction of new fabs, enhancement of existing fabs, internal training, and encouraging sub-contractors to gain "green building" certification. TSMC established a Green Building Task Force and selected new fabs as well as office buildings for certification according to the U.S. LEED rating system and Taiwan’s Ecology, Energy Saving, Waste Reduction, Health (EEWH) standard.
