Xiamen IC Design Public Service Platform has played a crucial role in helping China IC designers operating in the country's southeastern port city upgrade their design and innovation capabilities, according to Huang Jianbao, secretary general of Xiamen IC Industry Association.
Huang said that the platform, founded by the Xiamen city government in collaboration with Xiamen University and Huaqiao University, is now operated by Xiamen Science and Technology Industrial Group and provides IC design houses in the city and neighboring areas with wafer tests, EDA software and chip failure analyses, IC product examinations and validations, talent cultivation and other industrial services.
Huang continued that the platform helps IC design houses accelerate their R&D process, reduce operation cost, and facilitate the sharing of tech resources.
The platform can render services to not only startups but also small and medium-size enterprises. Having purchased CNY60 million (US$8.70 million) worth of EDA software and testing equipment, the platform can offer 28nm and 3D-architecture process support to IC designers with Cadence and Synopsys EDA software programs, and provide test service for chips with operating frequency of 50G, covering those for optical communication, microwave radio frequency and automotive electronics applications, according to Huang.
He said that to avoid the resources from being left idle, the platform has also established common networks in cooperation with academic units and tech research organizations to further integrate industry chains and expand its own resources integration capability.
Huang commented that Xiamen has demonstrated great vitality for chip production, given that United Semiconductor (Xiamen) now operates a 12-inch wafer fab boasting the highest yield rate and most advanced process among foundry fabs already operational in China.
XinGuangRunZe Technology has kicked off operation of China's first SiC IP module production line in Xiamen, and Beijing Unisound Information Technology will soon start volume production of AI-based IoT chipsets in the city, he noted.
He also cited statistics as indicating that the number of semiconductor firms in Xiamen already increased to 170 in 2017 from 100 in 2016, with their 2017 aggregate production value amounting to CNY14 billion, up 40% on year.
Article translated by Willis Ke
