Chinese-language UDN site writes (in Bing translation):
"Japanese sources familiar with the situation revealed that TSMC and Sony are very confidential about this cooperation, the two sides signed the first batch of cooperation content at the beginning of this year, first in TSMC Nanke 14A plant for Sony to build a monthly production of 20,000 pieces of CIS foundry line, cooperation is very smooth, Sony further asked TSMC to provide exclusive, equal to the contract factory area, monthly orders and increase several times.
TSMC is actively engaged in the "Cage for Birds" project in order to meet this "super-large single", including the purchase of the Nanke plant adjacent to TSMC, and asked Homeden to move at the fastest speed, that is, to split the 14B plant and 14A plant public plant, in order to create 14B plant for Sony's higher-level CIS replacement plant.
Japanese people familiar with the situation revealed that Sony is already TSMC customers, the past cooperation to logic chip-based, early this year Sony changed the past CIS full home-made strategy, breaking the ground will be CIS to TSMC power workers, by force TSMC all-out market occupation, shocked the industry.
It is understood that Sony's previous CIS order to TSMC, is in TSMC South Branch 14A plant to 40 nanometer process production, TSMC and for this purpose to purchase new equipment designated by Sony, is intensive installation, scheduled for August trial production, the first quarter of next year mass production, the initial monthly production capacity of 20,000 pieces.
Now the cooperation between the two sides extended to 28 nanometers, and decided to build Sony's exclusive foundry area at TSMC Nanke 14B, Sony is equal to the Bao-Yuan 14B plant, the number of orders will be 14A factory several times.
In the face of Samsung's close pursuit, Sony decided to expand its partnership with TSMC, hoping to win 60% of the global Market Share of CIS Image Sensors by 2025."
seems the translations are a little confusing. Does this mean Sony will still only source the logic wafer from TSMC and moving fron 40nm to 28nm? or does it mean that Sony is outsourcing entire CIS wafer including the pixel wafer + logic wafer and going to 28nm?
ReplyDeleteI changed Google to Bing translation. It's a little bit better.
DeletePersonally, I do not believe that Sony transfers its pixel secrets to TSMC. Most probably, they talk about logic wafers.
It's CIS process, not just logic wafer
ReplyDeletemaybe the package includes the 3D stacking process inside TSMC.
DeleteWhy is 28nm technology needed for CIS process?
DeleteIt is the whole CIS, another report indicates Sony will move specific machines into the TSMC new plant, and TSMC will expand the capacity for color-filter also.
ReplyDeleteIt is TSMC returns evil for good!
ReplyDeleteWho has raised and educated TSMC CIS?
You ungrateful swine!
Out of interest, because I have only limited understanding of the business side of fabs, why would Sony, which has it own fabs, ever share some of their CIS knowledge with TSMC? Doesn't TSMC has its own CIS process available for other customers than Sony? You might expect that Sony would want to guard their secrets from TSMC. What prevents TSMC of using the knowledge of Sony's CIS to improve their own CIS process?
ReplyDeleteI have heard that TSMC has approached SONY's CIS performance... It should be the beginning of decline of SONY.
Deletefunny and sad...what a customer can make you do if indeed Sony will transfer pixel process to TSMC. Maybe its some specific pixel process where Sony might have something to gain as well from TSMC?
ReplyDeleteI think there is more to understand in terms of medium format, industial/MV global shutter (Pregius), surveillance rolling shutter (STARVIS), mobile devices, automotive, IoT, etc. Probably for high volume applications involving stacked CIS and DRAM it is necessary for Sony to develop a second source foundry. To me, that implies a requirement of security of supply from smartphone makers and/or automotive customers.
ReplyDeleteIt is more likely an action against tough competition from Samsung, who is leveraging advanced DRAM/FinFET technology for CIS and Sony can not keep pace by itself.
ReplyDelete