Collection
Semiconductors
2026.08.26
10 Key Concepts that Simplify Foundry News
From Fabless and IDM to Process Nodes, Yield, EUV, and Advanced Packaging — Understanding the Structure of Semiconductor Contract Manufacturing
When reading foundry news, the most confusing point is understanding the roles and numbers rather than just the company names. It is essential to differentiate between fabless companies that only design and foundries that handle production; as well as IDMs that have both functions, to see the industry relationships clearly. When terms like process nodes, wafer input amounts, yield, EUV equipment, and advanced packaging are mixed in, even simple factory expansion news transforms into a story that encompasses technology, costs, and customer strategies.
This list focuses on ten concepts often encountered when assessing the foundry business without reiterating basic semiconductor terminology. Instead of presenting the superiority of individual companies or stock forecasts, it explains the questions each term raises about production contracts, delivery, cost, and performance. Since the figures in the articles often have different aggregation standards among companies, it's important to confirm if definitions are the same before making comparisons.
This list focuses on ten concepts often encountered when assessing the foundry business without reiterating basic semiconductor terminology. Instead of presenting the superiority of individual companies or stock forecasts, it explains the questions each term raises about production contracts, delivery, cost, and performance. Since the figures in the articles often have different aggregation standards among companies, it's important to confirm if definitions are the same before making comparisons.
Foundry
A contract manufacturing business that produces semiconductors designed by other companies. Customers provide design data and requirements, and the foundry offers process technology, wafer production, quality control, and delivery. Even if the same process is used, costs and results can vary based on product structure and order volume, making foundry not just a simple factory lease but more of a long-term collaboration that connects design and production.
유형 사업 모델
핵심 역할 고객 설계를 웨이퍼 위에 반복 생산
핵심 포인트 위탁생산, 공정 기술, 수율, 고객사
뉴스에서 볼 질문 신규 공정인가, 실제 양산 계약인가
이해 팁 팹리스와 파운드리의 역할을 나눠 보기
Fabless
A type of company that focuses on semiconductor design and product planning without owning its own wafer production facilities. Instead of tying up vast capital in production equipment, it needs to choose suitable foundry processes, design assets, and packaging partners. The announcement of new products by fabless companies does not immediately indicate shipment; after design completion, prototype production, verification, and achieving mass production yield remain thereafter.
유형 사업 모델
핵심 역할 칩 설계·제품 기획·시장 판매
핵심 포인트 설계 전문, 파운드리 협력, IP, 소프트웨어
뉴스에서 볼 질문 어느 파운드리와 어떤 공정을 선택했는가
이해 팁 좋은 설계도 생산능력과 패키징이 따라야 함
IDM
A comprehensive semiconductor business model where design, manufacturing, and sometimes packaging and sales are conducted within the same company. It prioritizes internal product production while also providing foundry services to external customers, meaning that internal volume and external orders must be distinguished when interpreting production capacity and revenue. Vertical integration is advantageous for technology coordination but simultaneously carries the burden of factory investment and operational efficiency.
핵심 역할 설계와 제조를 한 조직 안에서 통합
뉴스에서 볼 질문 내부 제품 생산과 외부 파운드리 비중은 얼마인가
Process Node
The terminology used to distinguish generations and technological levels, such as 3nm and 5nm. These numbers do not directly correspond to specific lengths of transistors today, and the criteria for naming differ among companies. Therefore, 'the same nanometers' among different companies cannot be considered identical based on numbers alone; transistor density, performance, power, applicable products, and production maturity must be compared simultaneously.
읽는 법 물리 길이보다 공정 세대를 나타내는 명칭
뉴스에서 볼 질문 성능·전력·밀도 기준이 함께 공개됐는가
Yield
The percentage of chips meeting required quality that can be sold from a single wafer. As defects decrease and yield improves, more products can be produced from the same input, leading to improved costs and delivery times. However, the numbers vary depending on chip size, defect criteria, and testing stages, making it difficult to determine the competitiveness of an entire process based solely on a single yield figure from outside.
유형 생산 지표
사업 영향 원가·공급량·납기와 직결
핵심 포인트 정상 칩 비율, 원가, 양산 안정성, 고객 인증
뉴스에서 볼 질문 어떤 칩과 어떤 시험 단계의 수율인가
이해 팁 기술 발표보다 수율과 양산 여부가 중요
Wafer Capacity
Refers to the wafer production capacity that can be processed by a factory over a specific period, typically mentioned in terms of monthly input quantities. Announcements of factory expansions show future supply capacity, but actual sales are linked to equipment introduction, process certification, and customer orders. If wafer diameters and process stages differ, simple counts can be distorted, and operational efficiency must also be considered.
자주 쓰는 단위 월 웨이퍼 투입량
뉴스에서 볼 질문 신규 설비의 실제 가동 시점과 가동률은 언제인가
EUV Lithography
A lithography technology that forms extremely fine circuit patterns on wafers using extreme ultraviolet light. It's crucial for reducing complex multi-patterning in some advanced processes, but the process's competitiveness cannot be established with just one piece of equipment alone. A stable production process requires alignment of masks and photoresists, defect control, equipment utilization rates, and process recipes.
공정 역할 미세 회로 패턴을 웨이퍼에 전사
뉴스에서 볼 질문 장비 보유 대수보다 실제 가동과 공정 적용은 어떤가
GAA Transistors
GAA Transistor
A transistor structure where the gate surrounds multiple sides of the channel to control current more precisely. It is introduced to reduce leakage current during the miniaturization process and expand options for adjusting performance and power efficiency. It’s important to differentiate between the fact that the structure has been adopted and securing the desired performance and yield in customer products, distinguishing generation applicability and actual mass production scales.
공정 역할 채널 제어를 강화해 성능·전력 조정
뉴스에서 볼 질문 시험 칩인가 고객 제품 양산인가
PDK and EDA
EDA refers to a collection of software tools for designing and verifying chips, while PDK is a development kit that provides rules and device models for designing within a specific foundry process. Even if the process is good, a lack of tools, IP, and verification flow can make it difficult for customers to transition their designs. This is why presentations about the foundry ecosystem also highlight supporting tools, verified IPs, and completed design case studies.
생태계 역할 설계를 실제 제조 규칙에 맞게 연결
뉴스에서 볼 질문 검증된 IP·도구·고객 테이프아웃이 있는가
Advanced Packaging
A post-process technology that closely connects different chips and memories through 2.5D, 3D structures, or chiplet methods to operate as a single system. For products requiring large computation and memory bandwidth, such as AI accelerators, performance and supply can be as critical as pre-processing. Even if wafer production capacity is sufficient, packaging bottlenecks may occur, so it's essential to check separate capacities in mass production news.
유형 후공정 핵심 기술
사업 역할 여러 칩을 고밀도로 연결해 시스템 성능 완성
핵심 포인트 CoWoS, 칩렛, HBM, 인터포저, 고성능 컴퓨팅
뉴스에서 볼 질문 전공정과 패키징 생산능력이 함께 확보됐는가
이해 팁 AI 반도체 병목은 제조공정뿐 아니라 패키징에서도 발생
The foundry industry cannot be simply compared with the phrase 'smaller nanometers equal better companies.' The processes vary according to the performance, power, and production volume required by designs, and stable yield, excellent design ecosystems, packaging capabilities, and delivery times must all be in place to bring actual products to market. When reading news, don't just look at the process names but check which customer’s chip it is, whether it’s pilot production or mass production, and whether it’s based on wafer standards or package standards systematically.
The process roadmaps companies announce are goals, while the actual mass production timing and yield are separate issues. Market share may also vary depending on revenue recognition, exchange rates, and whether internal production is included. When comparing data from multiple companies, ensure you're aligning by the same quarter, currency, and business scope, and it’s helpful to cross-check technical terms not only with corporate promotion materials but also with equipment, design tools, and research institution data.
The process roadmaps companies announce are goals, while the actual mass production timing and yield are separate issues. Market share may also vary depending on revenue recognition, exchange rates, and whether internal production is included. When comparing data from multiple companies, ensure you're aligning by the same quarter, currency, and business scope, and it’s helpful to cross-check technical terms not only with corporate promotion materials but also with equipment, design tools, and research institution data.
한눈에 보기
10개
Foundry
사업 모델 · 고객 설계를 웨이퍼 위에 반복 생산 · 위탁생산, 공정 기술, 수율, 고객사 · 신규 공정인가, 실제 양산 계약인가 · 팹리스와 파운드리의 역할을 나눠 보기
Fabless
사업 모델 · 칩 설계·제품 기획·시장 판매 · 설계 전문, 파운드리 협력, IP, 소프트웨어 · 어느 파운드리와 어떤 공정을 선택했는가 · 좋은 설계도 생산능력과 패키징이 따라야 함
IDM
설계와 제조를 한 조직 안에서 통합 · 내부 제품 생산과 외부 파운드리 비중은 얼마인가
Process Node
물리 길이보다 공정 세대를 나타내는 명칭 · 성능·전력·밀도 기준이 함께 공개됐는가
Yield
생산 지표 · 원가·공급량·납기와 직결 · 정상 칩 비율, 원가, 양산 안정성, 고객 인증 · 어떤 칩과 어떤 시험 단계의 수율인가 · 기술 발표보다 수율과 양산 여부가 중요
Wafer Capacity
월 웨이퍼 투입량 · 신규 설비의 실제 가동 시점과 가동률은 언제인가
EUV Lithography
미세 회로 패턴을 웨이퍼에 전사 · 장비 보유 대수보다 실제 가동과 공정 적용은 어떤가
GAA Transistors
채널 제어를 강화해 성능·전력 조정 · 시험 칩인가 고객 제품 양산인가
PDK and EDA
설계를 실제 제조 규칙에 맞게 연결 · 검증된 IP·도구·고객 테이프아웃이 있는가
Advanced Packaging
후공정 핵심 기술 · 여러 칩을 고밀도로 연결해 시스템 성능 완성 · CoWoS, 칩렛, HBM, 인터포저, 고성능 컴퓨팅 · 전공정과 패키징 생산능력이 함께 확보됐는가 · AI 반도체 병목은 제조공정뿐 아니라 패키징에서도 발생
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