Integrated circuit development

Integrated circuits are the "cores" of microprocessors, or multi-core processors, that control everything from computers to mobile phones to digital microwave ovens. Memory and ASics are examples of other families of integrated circuits that are important to the modern information society. While the cost of designing and developing a complex integrated circuit is very high, when spread over often millions of products, the cost per IC is minimized. The performance of ics is high because the small size brings short paths, allowing low-power logic circuits to be applied at fast switching speeds.

Over the years, ics have continued to evolve into smaller dimensions, allowing more circuits to be packed into each chip. This increases capacity per unit area, which can reduce costs and increase functionalities - see Moore's Law, where the number of transistors in an integrated circuit doubles every two years. In short, as the form factor shrinks, almost all metrics improve - unit cost and switching power consumption drop, and speed increases. However, ics that integrate nanoscale devices are not without problems, mainly leakage current. As a result, the increase in speed and power consumption for the end user is very significant, and manufacturers face a sharp challenge to use better geometry. This process and the expected advancements in the coming years are well described in the Semiconductor International Technology Roadmap (ITRS).

More and more circuits appear in the hands of designers in the form of integrated chips, which makes the development of electronic circuits tend to be miniaturized and high-speed. More and more applications have been converted from complex analog circuits to simple digital logic integrated circuits.

In 2022, the proposal on promoting the sustainable development of China's integrated circuit industry chain: The integrated circuit industry is a strategic, basic and leading industry for national economic and social development, and the short board and lack of items in the whole industrial chain have become one of the key factors restricting the high-quality development of China's digital economy and affecting the improvement of comprehensive national strength. At present, the high-end of China's IC industry is suppressed by the blockade, and the shortage of low-end production capacity is getting worse, and there are still some problems that need to be solved urgently. First, the ability of domestic chip enterprises is not strong and the market is insufficient. Second, the United States and the West have fully blocked the high-end equipment of advanced technology in China's integrated circuit industry, forming a new industrial barrier. Third, at present, China's IC industry is in a state of shortage of talents, and the training of process R & D personnel lacks the support of "production line". To this end, suggestions: First, give full play to the advantages of the new national system and continue to support the development of the integrated circuit industry. We will continue and expand major national science and technology projects and focus on overcoming core difficulties. Support the first set of applications, and gradually realize domestic substitution. Expand new application areas. Increase the scale of industrial funds and extend the investment cycle. Second, adhere to the long-term layout of the industry and deepen the reform of personnel training. It is necessary to "fill the short board" and "lengthen the board". We will continue to increase efforts to train scientific researchers and guarantee investment in basic researchers to consolidate the talent base. Third, we will continue to open up to the outside world at a high level and expand and foster emerging markets. Actively explore the emerging markets related to integrated circuits in the future, and support China's integrated circuit enterprises to go global.

Shanghai integrated circuit manufacturers