Odd Lots How the Number One U.S. Semiconductor Company Stumbled
Nov 30, 2020
Stacy Rasgon, a managing director at Bernstein Research and a semiconductor industry expert, delves into the recent challenges faced by Intel, the longtime leader in U.S. semiconductors. He discusses the impact of the U.S.-China trade war on Intel's manufacturing, particularly as rivals like AMD capitalize on Intel's delays. Rasgon also examines the need for robust policies to bolster domestic manufacturing and addresses the complexities of transitioning to smaller chip technologies, emphasizing the stakes for the future of the semiconductor landscape.
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Intel's Persistent Manufacturing Issues
- Intel's manufacturing issues, especially with 7-nanometer chips, are not new.
- These problems have been escalating for over five years, culminating in significant delays and impacting their competitiveness.
TSMC's Misleading 16nm Transition
- When TSMC transitioned from 20nm to 16nm, they didn't shrink transistors.
- Instead, they altered transistor structure from planar to FinFET but misleadingly labeled it a shrink.
Nanometer Designations as Marketing
- Chip size designations like "10 nanometer" and "7 nanometer" are primarily marketing terms, not precise measurements.
- They broadly indicate transistor density but aren't comparable across companies like Intel and TSMC.