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From smartphones and electric vehicles to cloud computing and smart home devices, it is integrated circuits that keep everything in day-to-day life moving. Semiconductors have effectively become a core infrastructure of modern life – not only supporting technological advancement, but also reshaping the global economy and industrial structure. As the computing performance, energy efficiency, and system integration capabilities of chips directly influence the speed and breadth of technological innovation, the development of semiconductor technology has become a strategic priority on the national agendas of many countries.

With the rapid rise of emerging applications such as artificial intelligence (AI), high-performance computing (HPC), autonomous vehicles, and advanced wearable devices, the requirements for chip performance and manufacturing precision have increased substantially. This wave of demand is accelerating the evolution of advanced process technologies, including sub-2-nanometer process nodes, chip stacking (3D IC), and heterogeneous integration. These innovations have taken center stage in the competition among semiconductor foundries, advanced packaging providers, and IC design companies. In the future, companies that possess advanced manufacturing capabilities and stable mass-production capacity are set to dominate global semiconductor competition.

AI use cases have become a major engine driving the semiconductor market growth. According to market research firm Gartner, the share of AI semiconductors is projected to increase from 9.9% in 2023 to 20.5% by 2028 in the overall global semiconductor market. In 2025, AI semiconductors were expected to account for 15.1% of the global semiconductor market, with primary applications in computing (57.9%) and communications (29.0%), followed by automotives (7.8%). Overall, the demand driven by AI for high-performance computing and communications has become a key force propelling the growth of the semiconductor industry. 

Semiconductor manufacturing technology is the core driver behind advances in information technology. Although Moore’s Law is gradually approaching its physical limits, the transition from 7-nanometer and 5-nanometer nodes toward 3-nanometer and 2-nanometer nodes indicates that chip miniaturization continues to make breakthroughs. One of the key enabling technologies behind this progress is extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. Compared with conventional deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography, EUV uses shorter wavelengths to enable higher-resolution circuit patterning of line widths and help further reduce chip dimensions and increase transistor density. 

To address the need for improved performance and lower power consumption within a limited chip area, the industry has begun adopting a new generation of transistor architecture. For example, gate-all-around (GAA) technology is replacing FinFET designs to enhance the precision of transistor control and further reduce leakage and power consumption. Another major innovation is 3D IC stacking and heterogeneous integration. Thanks to advanced packaging, the integration of multiple chips vertically or laterally not only overcomes the size limitation of a single chip, but also significantly improves data transmission efficiency and overall system performance. 

Supported by the Department of Industrial Technology under the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) has developed the “Integrated All-Wet Process Solution for High-Aspect-Ratio TGV in Panel-Level Packaging.” This technology successfully overcomes mass production bottlenecks. Compared with traditional wafer-level packaging, this approach significantly improves material utilization, reduces waste, and lowers costs. It also holds strong potential for onshoring and provides critical support for domestic packaging companies seeking to develop a new blue ocean market. 

Meanwhile, industry heavyweights such as TSMC and Samsung are accelerating investments in advanced nodes and packaging technologies to strengthen their technological leadership. Advanced manufacturing processes and packaging are more than just an upgrade of standalone technologies. Rather, they form the key support for applications such as AI and high-performance computing. Given the rapid growth in the demand for high-performance, low-power-consumption chips, manufacturing process innovation will drive the advancement of the semiconductor industry and serve as a core engine for companies seeking to capture high-end markets and strengthen competitiveness. 

Innovations in semiconductor process technology are rapidly reshaping the global landscape of end-user electronic products. In particular, emerging applications such as AI, HPC, autonomous driving, 5G communications, and the Internet of Things (IoT) are commanding increasingly stringent requirements for chip performance, power efficiency, and integration capabilities, and driving a significant surge in demand for advanced manufacturing processes.

AI chips must process massive datasets and complex model computations. Without advanced manufacturing processes to increase logic density and computing efficiency, it would be difficult to meet the performance thresholds for deep learning and inference tasks. The sensing, decision-making, and communication capabilities required for autonomous vehicles place extremely high demands on chip reliability, low latency, and high integration. As a result, 3D stacking and advanced packaging have become key solutions. 

Meanwhile, the growing popularity of wearable devices, smart healthcare and AR/VR applications has further increased reliance on chip miniaturization and low-power-consumption design. This trend is prompting foundries to continue investing in research and development to enable greater integration of heterogeneous components—such as optics, sensors, and memory— for better user experience overall. 

Green manufacturing processes and low-carbon transformation have also become key sources of industry competitiveness. The Department of Industrial Technology has been supporting ITRI and industry players in the initiative “recycling technology for high value solid abrasive.” This innovative low-carbon sorting process enables the efficient recovery of high-purity diamond powder and nano-grade silicon carbide (SiC) powder from the processing wastes of wide-bandgap semiconductor (WBG) manufacturing and achieving an overall recovery rate exceeding 90%. The process requires neither high temperatures nor strong acids or alkalis, in compliance with green manufacturing standards. The recovered materials can be reused in advanced polishing processes or in specialty chemical materials, or processed into high-precision tools, demonstrating the potential for a circular economy.

Looking ahead, the market for AI and advanced applications will continue to expand. Only by advancing both process innovation and green transformation in parallel can the semiconductor industry support the sustainable development of the digital economy and solidify its global competitive advantage.