支持性研發活動概念初探

Abstract

在台灣半導體產業中，IC製造始終佔有舉足輕重的份量，2007我國整體IC產業產值可達新台幣15,670億元，成長率為13.8%，優於全球的8.6%。其中設計業產值為新台幣3,590億元，成長率為14.4%；製造業為新台幣8,490億元，成長率為13.0%；封裝業為新台幣2,550億元，成長率為16.7%；測試業為新台幣1,040億元，成長率為11.2%。並預估至2010年產值可望破新台幣2兆元，成長率並優於全球。為了獲得國際大廠的訂單以及面對競爭日愈激烈的環境，各家半導體製造公司無不絞盡腦汁在製造技術上作突破，以期獲得先進且穩定的製程，並且能建立明顯的技術屏障。然而，對於台灣的半導體製造商來說，製程開發在執行上是有相當的困難，在整個半導體新製程開發過程中，製程模組開發是最主要且關鍵的部分，最直接影響其結果者為：量測儀器(Instrument or Metrology)、原物料(Raw Material)與製程設備(Process Equipment)等三項關鍵技術，主要仰賴國外廠家支援，甚少民營或政府單位做相關的研究，台灣IC製造的研發空間，被限制在極為侷促的環境下，任何些微的進步與突破，均需曠費資源，更遑論與競爭對手建立難以逾越的技術屏障。

是故，一味的就原有的研發路線努力，不若跳脫既有的思維，透過額外的研發活動，降低原有研發活動的門檻與瓶頸，並發展出不同以往的研發模式，以半導體製造商的角度來看，若要建立與競爭者的技術門檻，除了致力於本身半導體製程的研發活動外，切入製程設備的局部修正與研發，解決製程介面問題以獲得最大效益。在整個IC製程開發最後的產出，不再僅有製程相關部分而已，同時會伴隨著特殊的方法或是軟、硬體，這額外增加的部分是極度製程相依、設備相依、儀器相依或是流程相依之研發成果，此額外附屬的研發活動即本文之主要議題：「支持性研發活動」。換言之，為求「主研發活動」順遂執行，試圖加入額外的研發活動解決其中問題，在同時分享有限資源的條件下，如何確保主研發成果不會遭受負面衝擊，甚至創造更多的附加價值，此乃「支持性研發活動」的使命。本研究即針對「支持性研發活動」執行的內容與流程詳做探討，並以實際案例描述該研發活動之新產品，如何加速或改善整個半導體製程研發活動。

Integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing has been playing a decisive role in Taiwan semiconductor industry. To compete for purchase orders from top market players and to address the drastically competitive environment, semiconductor manufacturers are striving to seek technical breakthroughs for acquiring advanced, stable process and building significant technical barriers. For Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturers, however, new process development is relatively difficult. Principally, the three “know-hows”, instrument (or metrology), raw material and process equipment, depend on the support from suppliers abroad. Subject to such an adverse environment, it takes both time and resources for Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturers to achieve any process innovation, even negligible, not to mention insurmountable technical barriers set by competitors. For this reason, these manufacturers are recommended to break out of existing thinking patterns, instead of being stuck to obsolete R&D routines. With additional R&D activities, we may lower the threshold and eliminate the bottleneck to develop a brand new R&D approach different from previous ones. To build the technical threshold for competitors, these manufacturers, apart from engaging in semiconductor process development, should launch the revision and development of process equipment and achieve the ultimate benefit by solving problems with process interface. In terms of final output of the entire IC process development, there will only be process-related output but also specific methodology or hardware/software, which is extremely process-, equipment-, instrument-, or process-dependent R&D results. The additionally attached R&D activities that we address in this paper are called “supportive R&D activities”. Namely, to successfully implement “major R&D activities”, we are trying to seek additional R&D activities for settling problems arising thereof. Meanwhile, while sharing limited resources, we should be committed to protecting R&D results from infringement or creating more added values, which would be the ultimate goal of supportive R&D activities. This study is intended to provide a discussion on implementation and processes of supportive R&D activities, followed by descriptions of new products from the R&D activity and ways to accelerate or improve the semiconductor process.