Abstract

With the proliferation of electronic equipment, companies manufacturing semiconductors are booming. Intel Corporation (INTC) is an integrated device manufacturer. Samsung is made up of about 70 companies. Samsung Electronics manufactures mobile devices such as smartphones, televisions, and home appliances. TSMC is a world-renowned professional independent semiconductor foundry. Qualcomm, Inc. designs and sells wireless communications products and services. Broadcom (AVGO) manufactures semiconductor and analog equipment for the wireless communications, enterprise storage, wired infrastructure, and industrial industries. SK Hynix manufactures and markets semiconductor products, including automotive electronics, storage, and computing solutions. Micron Technology (MU) manufactures and sells semiconductor products for computers, consumer electronics, automotive, communications, and servers. Texas Instruments Inc. is a major manufacturer of mobile devices, digital signal processors, and analog semiconductor chips. Toshiba makes consumer products such as televisions, personal computers, and tablets. NXP Semiconductors (NXPI) produces semiconductors for radio, audio, and power applications.

  

Catalog

I What is a semiconductor?
II Top ten semiconductor companies	1 Intel
	2 Samsung
	3 TSMC
	4 Qualcomm
	5 Broadcom
	6 SK Hynix
	7 Micron Technology
	8 Texas Instruments
	9 Toshiba
	10 NXP
III Development of the semiconductor equipment industry

 

I What is a semiconductor?

Semiconductors are important to our lives. Modern electronics are developed based on semiconductors. There are semiconductors in the center of microprocessor chips and transistors. Today, most semiconductor chips and crystalline tubes are made of silicon. You may have heard of "Silicon Valley" or "Silicon Economy." The reason people say this is because silicon is the core substance of any electronic or computer equipment.

Semiconductors are widely used and have changed our way of life. For example, semiconductor companies provide semiconductor technology for optical, wireless, and satellite networks to meet society's demand for information, thereby achieving a connected and secure world. By promoting the construction of various infrastructures, millions of people can communicate, travel, obtain information and participate in entertainment activities at any time in their lives. Corresponding semiconductor technology has increased the speed and coverage of the mobile Internet, allowing fiber optic networks to transmit communications to businesses, homes, and data centers. The next generation of radars supported by semiconductor technology can be used for air traffic control and weather forecasting. In addition to communication, semiconductors also have related applications in analog radio frequency, microwave, millimeter-wave, and photon, which can help us solve problems such as network capacity, signal coverage, energy efficiency, and field reliability.

The importance of semiconductors is beyond words and is even hailed as the 4th most important invention in the world. The American "Atlantic Monthly" once invited scientists, historians, and technical experts to rank the major inventions in human history. Semiconductors ranked fourth, and the top ones were printing presses, electricity, and penicillin.

With the proliferation of electronic equipment, companies manufacturing semiconductors are booming. They are already one of the most successful companies in the world. Because semiconductors are hidden in electronic devices such as mobile phones, not everyone is very familiar with many semiconductor companies. Perhaps not everyone knows the top semiconductor companies, but they are all industry giants.

II Top ten semiconductor companies

1 Intel

 

 

Intel logo

Intel is an American company that mainly develops CPU processors. It is one of the world's top semiconductor companies that manufactures personal computer parts and CPUs. It was founded in 1968 and has a 50-year history of product innovation and market leadership.

With the popularity of personal computers, Intel has become the world's largest technology giant in the design and production of semiconductors. Provides building modules for the world's growing computer industry, including microprocessors, chipsets, boards, systems, and software. These products are part of standard computer architecture. The industry uses these products to design and manufacture advanced computers for end-users. Intel Corporation is committed to providing building blocks for clients, servers, network communications, Internet solutions, and Internet services for the emerging global Internet economy.

Intel's specific research areas include audio/video signal processing and PC-based applications, as well as advanced compilation technologies and runtime system research that can drive future microstructure and next-generation processor designs. Besides, there are Intel China Software Lab, Intel Architecture Development Lab, Intel Internet Switching Architecture Lab, and Intel Wireless Technology Development Center. Intel has also conducted joint research and development on IA-64 compilers with well-known domestic universities and research institutions, such as the Institute of Computing Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and achieved gratifying results.

2 Samsung

 

Samsung logo

 

Samsung Group is the largest multinational enterprise group in South Korea. Samsung Group includes many international subsidiaries. Its subsidiaries include Samsung Electronics, Samsung Products, Samsung Life Insurance, etc., and its business involves electronics, finance, machinery, chemistry, and many other fields. Samsung Electronics is its largest subsidiary, the second-largest mobile phone maker in the world, and one of the world’s largest electronics and semiconductor companies by revenue.

On March 1, 1938, former Samsung President Lee Byung-soo established the "Samsung Chamber of Commerce" in Daegu, South Korea for 30,000 won. In the early days, Li Bingyu's main business was exporting Korean dried fish, vegetables, and fruits to Beijing and Manzhouli in China. Samsung Electronics was established in 1969. In the 1980s, Samsung Electronics mainly sold refrigerators. In 1986, Li Bingyu established the Samsung Economic Research Institute. In 1996, the Samsung Group ranked among the world's fifth-largest groups, including many subsidiaries and several other legal entities. In 2006, the Samsung Group became the 35th largest economy in the world. On October 2, 2019, Samsung Electronics stopped producing mobile phone products in China because of increasing competition from Chinese domestic competitors. This also means that Samsung's last factory in China in Huizhou has been shut down.

3 TSMC

 

TSMC logo

 

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.(TSMC) is a semiconductor manufacturing company. Founded in 1987, it is the world's first professional integrated circuit manufacturing service (foundry) company. Its headquarters and main factory are located in the Science Park of Hsinchu City, Taiwan Province, China.

It is the world's largest specialized semiconductor foundry. Since its inception, it has been committed to providing customers with the leading technology of the pure wafer casting industry. This technology belongs to high-precision technology. Without a certain industrial foundation and strong scientific research strength, such a company cannot be born.

This company has strong manufacturing capabilities, and capable of manufacturing more than 4.3 million wafers a year, and this company alone accounts for about 50% of the global wafer foundry market. In 2002, TSMC became the first IC industry company engaged in pure wafer casting to rank in the top 10 in the global sales rankings, which is ranking ninth. TSMC expects this trend to continue and its rankings to continue to rise in the coming years.

TSMC now has two 12-inch fabs, five 8-inch fabs, and one 6-inch fab. The fab operations are concentrated in Taiwan, mainly in Hsinchu Science Park ("Bamboo Branch") and Tainan Science Park. TSMC also has wafer fabs overseas, with locations including Washington, Singapore, and Shanghai, all of which are economically developed and technologically advanced.

TSMC is headquartered in Hsinchu Science Park, with account management and engineering services offices in Hsinchu, Taiwan; Yokohama, Japan; Amsterdam, Netherlands; and San Jose, California, Orange County, Austin, Texas, and Boston. TSMC is listed under the TSM logo in Taiwan (TSE) and New York (NYSE).

4 Qualcomm

 

 

Qualcomm logo

As one of the top semiconductor companies, Qualcomm was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in San Diego, California, with more than 33,000 employees worldwide. Qualcomm is a global leader in 3G, 4G, and 5G technology research and development. Currently, it has provided technology licenses to multiple manufacturers worldwide, covering all the world's telecommunications equipment and consumer electronics equipment brands.

Qualcomm's customers and partners include world-renowned manufacturers of mobile phones, tablets, routers, and systems, as well as the world's leading wireless operators. Qualcomm is committed to helping members of the wireless industry chain succeed. Relying on the spirit of innovation, relying on technological innovation and progress, Qualcomm continues to lead the evolution of 3G, 4G, and next-generation wireless technologies. While promoting the development of the wireless communication industry, advanced wireless digital technologies can better benefit humanity.

According to iSuppli statistics, Qualcomm became the world’s largest wireless semiconductor supplier for the first time in the first quarter of 2007 and has continued to maintain this leadership position since then. Its Snapdragon mobile intelligent processor is the industry's leading all-in-one, full range of mobile processors, with high performance, low power consumption, realistic multimedia, and comprehensive connectivity. At present, the company's products and businesses are transforming many fields such as medical care, automobiles, the Internet of Things, smart homes, and smart cities.

5 Broadcom

 

 

Broadcom logo

Broadcom Corporation (Nasdaq: BRCM) is the world's leading semiconductor company for wired and wireless communications. Its products enable the delivery of voice, data, and multimedia to and from home, office, and mobile environments. Broadcom provides the industry's broadest and best-in-class system-on-chip and software solutions to manufacturers of computing and networking equipment, digital entertainment and broadband access products, and mobile devices.

Broadcom is one of the world's largest wireless production semiconductor companies, with annual revenues of more than $ 2.5 billion. The company is headquartered in Irvine, California, with offices and research facilities in North America, Asia, and Europe. Broadcom holds more than 2,600 U.S. patents and 1,200 foreign patents, as well as more than 7,450 patent applications. It has one of the broadest intellectual property portfolios and can handle wired and wireless transmission of voice, video, data, and multimedia.

Broadcom is headquartered in Irvine, California, with offices and research facilities in North America, Asia, and Europe. In 2019, he was selected as the "2019 Forbes Global Top 100 Digital Economy" and ranked 30th. In January 2020, the World's 500 Most Valuable Brands List was released in 2020, and Broadcom ranked 279th.

6 SK Hynix

 

 

SK Hynix logo

Hynix chip maker originated from the Korean acronym "HY". Hynix's original name is Modern Memory and was renamed Hynix in 2001. Hynix Semiconductor is the world's third-largest DRAM maker and the ninth top semiconductor company in the world. On September 5, 2019, SK Hynix's semiconductor factory in Wuxi, China has completely replaced Japanese products with hydrogen fluoride produced in China. In October 2019, the 2019 Forbes Global 100 Digital Economy List was released, and Hynix ranked 28th. In 2012, it was renamed SK Hynix.

Hynix Semiconductor was established in 1983 as Hyundai Electronics Industry Co., Ltd., officially listed in South Korea in 1996, acquired LG Semiconductors in 1999, and changed its company name to Hynix Semiconductor Co., Ltd. in 2001 to separate from Hyundai Group. In October 2004, the system IC business was sold to Citigroup, becoming a professional memory manufacturer. In February 2012, SK Group, Korea's third-largest chaebol, announced its purchase of a 21.05% stake in Hynix to become the major memory maker.

7 Micron Technology

 

 

Micron Technology logo

Micron Technology, Inc. is one of the world's leading suppliers of advanced semiconductor solutions. Through its global operations, Micron manufactures and markets DRAM, NAND flash memory, CMOS image sensors, other semiconductor components, and memory modules for cutting-edge computing, consumer products, networking, and mobile portable products.

Micron Technology (Micron Technology): Located in Boise, Idaho, the capital of the United States, was founded in 1978 by Ward Parkinson, Joe Parkinson, Dennis Wilson, and Doug Pitman, and established its wafer fabrication plant in 1981.

Micron Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Micron Technology) is one of the world's largest manufacturers of semiconductor storage and imaging products. Its main products include DRAM, NAND flash memory and CMOS image sensors. Micron's advanced products are widely used in mobile, computer, service, automotive, network, security, industrial, consumer, and medical fields, providing customers with targeted solutions in these diverse terminal applications. In the early 1990s, Micron Technology established a Micron Computers subsidiary to manufacture personal computers, which later became Micron Electronics. Micron also acquired Rendition in 1998 to make 3D acceleration chips.

8 Texas Instruments

 

 

Texas Instruments logo

Texas Instruments (TI) is a leading global semiconductor multinational company, well-known for its development, manufacturing, and sales of semiconductors and computer technologies. In addition to the semiconductor business, it also provides solutions including sensing and control, education products and digital light source processing. Texas Instruments (TI) is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and has manufacturing, design, or sales facilities in more than 25 countries. Texas Instruments is the world's largest manufacturer of digital signal processors (DSPs) and analog circuit components. Its analog and digital signal processing technologies are dominant worldwide.

Texas Instruments was founded in 1947 by Cesar H. Green, J. Eric Johnson, Eugene McDermott, and Patrick E. Hagerty. It was originally used by its parent company, Geophysical Service Incorporated (GSI), to produce newly invented transistors. McDermott was the founder of GSI when it was first founded in 1930. McDermott, Green, and Johnson later bought the company in 1941.

Texas Instruments' semiconductor products account for almost 85% of its revenues (2003 data). It has taken a leading position in different product areas including digital signal processors, digital-to-analog converters, analog-to-digital converters, energy management, and analog integrated circuits. Wireless communication is also a focus of Texas Instruments. About 50% of mobile phones worldwide are equipped with chips produced by Texas Instruments. It also produces application-specific integrated circuits and microcontrollers.

9 Toshiba

 

 

Toshiba logo

Toshiba, Japan's largest semiconductor manufacturer, the world’s top semiconductor company, and the second-largest integrated motor manufacturer, belongs to the Mitsui Group. The company was founded in July 1875, formerly known as Tokyo Shibaura Electric Co., Ltd., and was merged in 1939 by Tokyo Electric Co., Ltd. and Shibaura Manufacturing Co., Ltd. It has been 140 years since it was founded in 1875.

Toshiba's business areas include digital products, electronic components, social infrastructure equipment, and home appliances. Since the 1980s, Toshiba has transformed from an enterprise focusing on household appliances and heavy motors to a comprehensive electronics and electrical enterprise including communications and electronics. In the 1990s, Toshiba has made rapid development in the fields of digital technology, mobile communication technology, and network technology, and successfully transformed from a giant in the home appliance industry to a pioneer in the IT industry.

For civilian use: Toshiba has transformed from an enterprise focusing on household appliances and heavy motors to a comprehensive electronics and electrical enterprise including communications and electronics. Entering the 1990s, Toshiba has made rapid development in the fields of digital technology, mobile communication technology, and network technology. Toshiba has successfully transformed from a giant in the home appliance industry to a pioneer in the IT industry. In terms of military use: Toshiba has been responsible for the production of various tanks, machine guns, and missile cannons for Japan since World War II.

10 NXP

 

 

NXP logo

NXP Semiconductors, the Netherlands, is one of the top ten semiconductor companies in the world. It was founded in 2006 and was previously founded by Philips more than 50 years ago. In October 2019, the 2019 Forbes Global Top 100 Digital Economy ranked 78th.

The company is headquartered in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, and has 37,000 employees in more than 20 countries around the world (37% in Europe, 37% in Asia, 21% in Greater China, and 5% in the Americas). In 2007, it reported sales of $ 6.3 billion.

NXP provides semiconductors, system solutions, and software to provide a better sensory experience for mobile phones, personal media players, TVs, set-top boxes, identification applications, automobiles, and a wide range of other electronic devices. NXP's product technologies and solutions are used in the following five market areas: automotive electronics, smart identification, home entertainment, mobile phones and personal mobile communications, and multi-market semiconductors, thereby establishing leadership in major markets.

III Development of the semiconductor equipment industry

Global semiconductor market demand has driven the expansion of global semiconductor equipment. The semiconductor equipment market is closely related to the prosperity of the semiconductor industry. In 2012, due to the global macroeconomic impact, the development of the semiconductor industry slowed down, and the growth of the equipment market was correspondingly suppressed. Since 2014, the global semiconductor market has started to recover.

According to statistics from the International Semiconductor Equipment Materials Industry Association (SEMI), global semiconductor equipment sales in 2014 were $ 37.5 billion, and global semiconductor equipment sales in 2018 reached $ 64.5 billion, with a CAGR of 14.52%.

With the steady growth of demand in downstream electronics, automotive, communications, and other industries, and the rapid development of emerging fields such as the Internet of Things, cloud computing and big data, the integrated circuit industry is facing the demand for capacity expansion of new chips or advanced processes. Bring a vast market space.

 

SEMI's prediction

SEMI predicts that the global semiconductor equipment market sales will decline in 2019, but it will still grow by 20.7% in 2020, reaching 71.9 billion US dollars, a record high.