晶圓代工龍頭臺積電(TSMC)創(chuàng)辦人、董事長暨首席執(zhí)行官張忠謀(Morris Chang)現(xiàn)身于美國加州圣荷西舉行的年度技術(shù)研討會；今年已高齡81歲的他在研討會上發(fā)表專題演說，回顧了半導(dǎo)體產(chǎn)業(yè)過去一年的概況與該公司前景，并預(yù)測今年市場能有4%的成長。
在專題演說結(jié)束后，張忠謀回答了幾個來自媒體記者與客戶問題，然后趕赴下一個行程；以下是幾個令人印象特別深刻的問題，以及他經(jīng)過思考之后的簡短回答：
問：傳言臺積電將在美國興建新晶圓廠，是否屬實？
答：還沒有任何決定；興建新晶圓廠是重大決策，現(xiàn)在一座新廠的成本約為50億美元。我們目前在臺灣有20座晶圓廠，這是一個優(yōu)勢，因為當(dāng)某座廠房的設(shè)備發(fā)生故障，我們可以馬上從另一座廠房運(yùn)送設(shè)備前往支持；這是當(dāng)美國只有一座晶圓廠時無法做到的。
問：對于已開始為多家廠商生產(chǎn)芯片、成為臺積電競爭者的英特爾(Intel)
您的看法如何？
答：我們一直有競爭者來來去去；(身為微處理器供貨商的)英特爾與他的客戶也有潛在競爭關(guān)系。而三星(Samsung)在某些程度上更積極經(jīng)營晶圓代工業(yè)務(wù)，GlobalFoundries也一樣。
問：芯片價格壓力是否在今年仍然是個棘手問題？
答：我認(rèn)為價格壓力一直存在。
問：隨著半導(dǎo)體制程節(jié)點(diǎn)越來越復(fù)雜、優(yōu)勢也逐漸削弱，您對摩爾定律(Moore’s Law)的前景看法如何？
答：現(xiàn)在看來我們還領(lǐng)先了7~8年的時間──甚至更多──我們將看到半導(dǎo)體制程演進(jìn)至10納米、甚至7納米節(jié)點(diǎn)。
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問：您認(rèn)為人們需要了解臺積電的哪些事情？
答：我認(rèn)為人們其實不太了解臺積電，特別是美國的朋友，他們知道蘋果(Apple)、英特爾與Google，但是對臺積電了解不多。
本文授權(quán)編譯自EE Times，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載
編譯：Judith Cheng
參考英文原文：5 questions with TSMC founder Morris Chang，by Rick Merritt
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5 questions with TSMC founder Morris Chang
Rick Merritt
SAN JOSE, Calif. – It’s a rare treat to get a chance to ask a few questions of Morris Chang, the man who invented the semiconductor foundry model when he helped found Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. back in 1987. The man referred to within TSMC simply as “chairman” typically travels to the U.S. just once a year.
At age 81, he strode on to the stage at the San Jose Convention Center here and gave a keynote address at the annual TSMC Symposium. He used few slides and no notes, recounting the state of the industry in the past year, his forecast for the year to come (four percent growth) and the state and outlook of the world’s largest maker of logic wafers.
Two reporters and a customer approached him afterwards with a handful of questions. He answered them thoughtfully before being whisked away to whatever was next on his itinerary.
Q: Are reports TSMC will build a new fab in the U.S. true?
Morris Chang: There has been no decision. Building a new fab is a big decision. A new fab now costs $5 billion.
We have 20 fabs in Taiwan, and that’s an advantage because when a machine goes down in one plant we can ship one over from another. You can’t do that for a fab in the US.
Q: What’s your view of Intel as a competitor now that it is making chips for a handful of companies?
Chang: We have always had competitors. They come and go. [As a microprocessor maker] Intel potentially competes with its customers. Samsung is in some ways more aggressive in the foundry business as is GlobalFoundries.
Q: Will price pressures continue to be so stiff this year?
Chang: I’ve never seen an end to price pressure.
Q: What’s the outlook for Moore’s Law now that process nodes seem to be getting more complex and offering diminishing benefits?
Chang: It looks like we have another seven to eight years ahead in advances -- maybe more -- we can see in technology down to 10 and even 7 nm.
Q: What do you think people need to know about TSMC
Chang: I think people particularly in the US just don’t know us that well. They know about Apple and Intel and Google -- but not so much about TSMC.
責(zé)編：Quentin
