Semiconductor industry
The semiconductor industry is the aggregate collection of companies engaged in the design and fabrication of semiconductors. It formed around 1960, once the fabrication of semiconductor devices became a viable business. The industry's annual semiconductor sales revenue has since grown to over $481 billion , as of 2018.[1] The semiconductor industry is in turn the driving force behind the wider electronics industry,[2] with annual power electronics sales of £135 billion ($218 billion ) as of 2011,[3] annual consumer electronics sales expected to reach $2.9 trillion by 2020,[4] tech industry sales expected to reach $5 trillion in 2019,[5] and e-commerce with over $29 trillion in 2017.[6]
Semiconductor device fabrication |
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(process nodes) |
The most widely used semiconductor device is the MOSFET (metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor, or MOS transistor),[7] which was invented by Mohamed M. Atalla and Dawon Kahng at Bell Labs in 1959.[8][9] MOSFET scaling and miniaturization has been the primary factor behind the rapid exponential growth of semiconductor technology since the 1960s.[10][11] The MOSFET, which accounts for 99.9% of all transistors, is the driving force behind the semiconductor industry and the most widely manufactured device in history,[12][13] with an estimated total of 13 sextillion (1.3 × 1022) MOSFETs having been manufactured between 1960 and 2018.[12]
Industry structure
The global semiconductor industry is dominated by companies from the Asia-Pacific region, including China (PRC), Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan (ROC).
Unique features of the industry include continuous growth but in a cyclical pattern with high volatility. While the current 20 year annual average growth of the semiconductor industry is on the order of 13%, this has been accompanied by equally above-average market volatility, which can lead to significant if not dramatic cyclical swings. This has required the need for high degrees of flexibility and innovation in order to constantly adjust to the rapid pace of change in the market as many products embedding semiconductor devices often have a very short life cycle.
At the same time, the rate of constant price-performance improvement in the semiconductor industry is staggering. As a consequence, changes in the semiconductor market not only occur extremely rapidly but also anticipate changes in industries evolving at a slower pace. The semiconductor industry is widely recognized as a key driver and technology enabler for the whole electronics value chain.[14]
Semiconductor sales
Sales revenue
|
|
Market share
Semiconductor type | 2008 | 2005[21] | 2000[22] | 1995[21] | 1990[21] | 1987[23] | 1985[21] | 1982[23] | 1980[21] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Silicon MOSFET | >90% | 90% | 88% | 84% | 74% | 64% | 59% | 55% | 53% |
III-V semiconductors | <7% | 4% | 4% | 2% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
Silicon BJT | <3% | 6% | 8% | 14% | 25% | 35% | 40% | 44% | 46% |
MOSFET fabrication process | 2003[23] | 2000[21] | 1990[21] | 1987[23] | 1985[21] | 1982[23] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CMOS | 99% | 99% | 88% | 61% | 47% | 22% |
PMOS and NMOS | 1% | 1% | 12% | 39% | 53% | 78% |
Industry sector | Market share |
---|---|
Computer and peripheral equipment | 32.3% |
Consumer electronics | 21.2% |
Telecommunications equipment | 16.5% |
Industrial electronics | 14.3% |
Defense and space industry | 11.5% |
Transportation technology | 4.2% |
Largest companies
Rank | 2018[24] | 2017[24] | 2011[25] | 2006[26] | 2000[26] | 1995[26] | 1992[27] | 1990[26] | 1986[28] | 1985[26] | 1975[28] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Samsung | Samsung | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | NEC | NEC | NEC | NEC | TI |
2 | Intel | Intel | Samsung | Samsung | Toshiba | NEC | Toshiba | Toshiba | Toshiba | TI | Motorola |
3 | SK Hynix | TSMC | TSMC | TI | NEC | Toshiba | Intel | Hitachi | Hitachi | Motorola | Philips |
4 | TSMC | SK Hynix | TI | Toshiba | Samsung | Hitachi | Motorola | Intel | ‹See Tfd›? | Hitachi | ‹See Tfd›? |
5 | Micron | Micron | Toshiba | ST | TI | Motorola | Hitachi | Motorola | ‹See Tfd›? | Toshiba | |
6 | Broadcom | Broadcom | Renesas | Renesas | Motorola | Samsung | TI | Fujitsu | ‹See Tfd›? | Fujitsu | |
7 | Qualcomm | Qualcomm | Qualcomm | Hynix | ST | TI | ‹See Tfd›? | Mitsubishi | ‹See Tfd›? | Philips | |
8 | Toshiba | TI | ST | Freescale | Hitachi | IBM | Mitsubishi | TI | ‹See Tfd›? | Intel | |
9 | TI | Toshiba | Hynix | NXP | Infineon | Mitsubishi | ‹See Tfd›? | Philips | ‹See Tfd›? | National | |
10 | Nvidia | Nvidia | Micron | NEC | Philips | Hyundai | ‹See Tfd›? | Matsushita | ‹See Tfd›? | Matsushita |
Notes:
- Pure-play foundries – They specialize in foundry services. They may or may not offer design services to third parties, as well as mask (photomask) making, semiconductor packaging and testing services, which can also be outsourced to other companies. An example is TSMC, which offers design, testing and packaging services, TCE phtomasks, which offers only mask making services, and ChipMOS, which offers only packaging and testing services.
- IDMs (integrated device manufacturers) – They may or may not offer foundry services.
- Fabless suppliers – They do not offer foundry services. They may or may not offer design services to third parties.
Device shipments
Year | Optoelectronics | Sensor / Actuator | MOSFET[12] |
---|---|---|---|
1960–2001 | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | 2,900,000,000,000,000 |
2002 | 23,164 | 1,654 | |
2003 | 28,955 | 2,482 | |
2004 | 38,056 | 3,310 | |
2005 | 44,675 | 4,137 | |
2006[31] | 55,429 | 4,137 | |
2007[32] | 67,839 | 4,136 | |
2008 | 76,939 | 4,964 | |
2009 | 91,003 | 4,964 | |
2010 | 97,622 | 6,619 | |
2011 | 110,031 | 8,273 | |
2012 | 129,886 | 11,583 | |
2013 | 131,541 | 14,064 | |
2014–2015 | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | 10,100,000,000,000,000 |
2016[33][34] | 217,200 | 17,376 | |
2017–2018 | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | |
1960–2018 | 1,112,340+ | 87,699+ | 13,000,000,000,000,000 |
Integrated circuits
Year | MOS memory | MPU / MCU | Analog | Logic | ASIC | ASSP | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1960–1991 | ‹See Tfd›? | 15,000[35] | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | 350,000[35] |
1992[36] | 3,706 | ||||||
1993[36] | 4,060 | ||||||
1994[36] | 4,938 | ||||||
1995[36] | 6,092 | ||||||
1996[36] | 6,206 | ||||||
1997 | 7,155[37] | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | 60,100[32] |
1998–1999 | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? |
2000[38] | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | 89,100 |
2001 | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? |
2002 | 9,100 | 6,619 | 24,819 | 11,582 | 2,482 | 23,992 | 78,594 |
2003 | 10,755 | 6,618 | 30,611 | 14,064 | 1,655 | 25,646 | 89,349 |
2004 | 13,237 | 9,100 | 33,092 | 14,064 | 1,654 | 33,092 | 104,239 |
2005 | 15,719 | 8,273 | 37,229 | 14,891 | 2,481 | 38,056 | 116,649 |
2006[31] | 18,201 | 10,755 | 43,020 | 18,200 | 2,482 | 45,501 | 141,600 |
2007[32] | 23,992 | 12,409 | 48,811 | 18,201 | 3,309 | 45,502 | 156,000 |
2008 | 25,646 | 12,410 | 49,639 | 18,200 | 1,655 | 47,156 | 154,706 |
2009 | 28,128 | 11,582 | 43,020 | 14,892 | 2,482 | 43,847 | 143,951 |
2010[38] | 33,919 | 16,546 | 57,084 | 19,028 | 1,654 | 57,911 | 189,800 |
2011 | 33,919 | 17,374 | 56,256 | 19,028 | 1,655 | 58,738 | 186,970 |
2012 | 34,747 | 17,373 | 57,084 | 17,373 | 1,655 | 57,083 | 185,315 |
2013 | 33,919 | 16,546 | 67,839 | 18,201 | 2,481 | 64,530 | 203,516 |
2014 | ‹See Tfd›? | 18,600[39] | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? |
2015 | ‹See Tfd›? | 22,058[40] | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | 235,600[38] |
2016[33][34] | 43,440 | 21,174[40] | 130,320 | 52,128 | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | 342,416 |
2017 | ‹See Tfd›? | 25,797[40] | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | 581,321[41] |
2018 | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | 634,700[41] |
1960–2018 | 356,879+ | 274,298+ | 635,804+ | 249,852+ | 25,645+ | 541,054+ | 4,043,926+ |
Discrete devices
Year | Discrete transistors | Diode | Total | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Power | Small-signal | Total | |||
1954–1956[43] | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | 28 | ‹See Tfd›? | 28+ |
1957[43] | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | 30 | ‹See Tfd›? | 30+ |
1958–1962 | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? |
1963[43] | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | 303 | ‹See Tfd›? | 303+ |
1964–1965 | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? |
1966[44] | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | 968 | ‹See Tfd›? | 968+ |
1967[44] | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | 881 | ‹See Tfd›? | 881+ |
1968[44] | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | 997 | ‹See Tfd›? | 997+ |
1969[43] | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | 1,249 | ‹See Tfd›? | 1,249+ |
1970[44] | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | 914 | ‹See Tfd›? | 914+ |
1971[43] | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | 881 | ‹See Tfd›? | 881+ |
1972–2001 | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? |
2002 | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | 232,472 |
2003 | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | 245,708 |
2004 | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | 287,901 |
2005 | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | 290,382 |
2006[31] | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | 321,820 |
2007[32] | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | 356,566 |
2008 | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | 324,301 |
2009 | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | 289,555 |
2010 | 53,000[45] | ‹See Tfd›? | 53,000+ | ‹See Tfd›? | 371,458 |
2011 | 45,000 | 110,000 | 155,000 | 143,000 | 356,000 |
2012 | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | ‹See Tfd›? | 345,812 |
2013 | 44,000 | 103,000 | 147,000 | 146,000 | 358,000 |
2014 | 48,000 | 109,000 | 157,000 | 154,000 | 380,000 |
2015[38] | 52,000 | 107,000 | 159,000 | 150,000 | 372,000 |
2016[33] | 53,300 | ‹See Tfd›? | 53,300+ | ‹See Tfd›? | 382,272 |
2017 | 58,100 | ‹See Tfd›? | 58,100+ | ‹See Tfd›? | 58,100+ |
2018 | 62,800 | ‹See Tfd›? | 62,800+ | ‹See Tfd›? | 62,800+ |
1954–2018 | 416,200+ | 429,000+ | 851,451+ | 593,000+ | 5,041,398+ |
Regions
Sales
Manufacturers headquartered in the following regions are the sales leaders in the pure-play foundry, IDM (integrated device manufacturing), fabless manufacturing and OSAT (outsourced semiconductor assembly and testing) sectors of the industry.[29]
Rank | Foundry | IDM | Fabless | OSAT |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Taiwan | United States | United States | Taiwan |
2 | United States | South Korea | Taiwan | United States |
3 | China | Japan | China | China |
4 | Israel | EU | EU | Singapore |
5 | South Korea | Taiwan | Japan | Japan |
Note that manufacturers headquartered in the United States have fabrication plants across the world, including over 50% in the Americas, 39% in the Asia-Pacific region (including 9% in Japan), and 9% in Europe.[29]
Patents
Patent holders from the following countries produced the highest number of annual semiconductor patents worldwide, as of 2005.[46]
Rank | Country | Patents (est.) |
---|---|---|
1 | Japan | 30,500 |
2 | South Korea | 13,500 |
3 | United States | 9,500 |
4 | Taiwan | 4,000 |
5 | China | 3,500 |
6 | Germany | 2,500 |
See also
Notes
- Formerly Hyundai Electronics.
- Acquired Elpida Memory and Powerchip.
- Formerly NEC Electronics.
- Acquired Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing.
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