ITRI's 12-inch advanced semiconductor R&D center focuses on quantum computing, silicon photonics, and third-generation semiconductor research.

2026/02/26

TechNews

February 10, 2026

Author: Atkinson

With the support of the National Chip Innovation Program and the National Development Fund, the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI)'s Opto-Electronics Laboratory (OECD) will officially begin construction on a brand-new 12-inch wafer R&D pilot production line. This is not only a major upgrade to ITRI's semiconductor R&D equipment, but also a key hub connecting academia's creativity with industry's mass production capabilities in the fields of advanced processes, quantum technology, and optoelectronic integration.

OECD Director Chang Shih-chieh stated in a media interview that while ITRI's existing 8-inch wafer fab has made significant contributions, its technology node is over 30 years old, mainly remaining at the 200-nanometer (0.2-micron) generation. However, the mainstream production lines in the semiconductor industry have already fully shifted to 12-inch wafer fabs. This has led to a serious industry transition problem: when ITRI develops cutting-edge technologies in its 8-inch fabs and transfers them to the industry, due to the difference in equipment size and process generation, companies must conduct "secondary R&D" in the 12-inch fab to implement the technology. This repetitive transition process significantly slowed the pace at which Taiwanese innovative products entered the market.

Chang Shih-chieh emphasized that the newly built 12-inch fab will be a significant generational upgrade for the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI)'s (ITRI) R&D platform. After the new fab is completed, ITRI's R&D capabilities will leap from the 200nm node to the 20nm node. This means that ITRI's future R&D results will be seamlessly integrated with mainstream industry processes, significantly shortening technology transfer time and enhancing the overall competitiveness of Taiwan's semiconductor industry.

This new 12-inch fab is not only for catching up with process nodes, but also for developing emerging technologies that were previously impossible with the 8-inch fab. The director revealed that the new fab will focus on several key areas with future explosive growth potential, including:

1. Quantum Computing: Exploring the next generation of computing cores.

2. Silicon Photonics: Key technologies for solving high-speed transmission and energy consumption issues.

3. Third-Generation Semiconductors and Miniaturization Technologies: This includes gallium nitride (GaN) applications, advanced 3D interconnect/packaging technologies, and emerging emerging memory technologies.

These technologies often face challenges due to immature markets or specialized manufacturing processes, making large foundries hesitant to invest in capacity development. This is precisely where the ITRI's new plant can offer significant value.

Furthermore, in addition to government funding, the industry's response has been crucial to this plant construction project. The director expressed special gratitude to TSMC, the leading foundry, for its contribution of key equipment. He pointed out that TSMC has agreed and committed to continuing to donate equipment needed by ITRI, through board approval. Currently, TSMC has donated three key pieces of equipment (including etching/aging testing equipment) to ITRI.

TSMC's Director of Technology R&D, Chang Meng-fan, explained that while the new fab is not yet complete, there is no place to house the equipment. However, both parties have reached an understanding that once the fab is completed, these top-tier machines from the industry will become a crucial pillar supporting Taiwan's small and medium-sized IC design and equipment manufacturers. Chang emphasized that TSMC and ITRI have a long-standing collaboration, and the current cooperation is only the first phase, with further progress expected in the future. The most important goal of this collaboration is to further apply the jointly developed technologies to actual production operations.

Chang Shih-chieh further pointed out that this 12-inch fab has dual strategic significance for Taiwan's supply chain. Firstly, it benefits equipment and materials suppliers. In the past, when local equipment manufacturers developed new machines or materials, they often lacked opportunities to verify them in a "full-process environment." ITRI's 12-inch production line will be open to companies, allowing individual equipment or materials to be tested on a complete production line, analyzing their impact on overall capacity efficiency and yield. This is crucial for enhancing the value of domestically produced equipment.

Secondly, it benefits IC design companies and startups. Many innovative products require specific process tuning parameters, but large contract manufacturers are often overloaded and unwilling to adjust these parameters for small or special orders. ITRI's new plant will act as a "special forces" unit, providing customized pilot production and verification services for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with new ideas and innovations, helping them navigate the transition period before mass production.

Regarding academic collaboration, the director also pointed out the dilemma of academic R&D: innovation is plentiful, but stability is lacking. While university labs are full of novel ideas, they lack industrial-grade equipment and experience, making it difficult to reproduce experimental data or scale it up to mass production. The future 12-inch R&D platform will be operated by senior engineers within ITRI with 20 to 30 years of practical experience. This means that innovative designs from academia can be realized in a highly stable environment close to industry standards. This "academic design, ITRI manufacturing" model will significantly increase the success rate of transforming academic research results into startups or commercial products, becoming the strongest bridge connecting academia and industry.

The establishment of this 12-inch wafer R&D platform by the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) marks a significant evolution in Taiwan's semiconductor industry-academia-research ecosystem. Through collaborative efforts between the government, research institutions, and leading enterprises, Taiwan aims not only to maintain its existing manufacturing advantages but also to leverage this new platform to preemptively seize technological leadership in emerging fields such as memory, silicon photonics, and quantum computing.

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