By TradeIndia Team in Manufacturers — 30 May 2022

Top 10 Semiconductor Chip Manufacturing Companies in India

A semiconductor is a silicon-based substance that can conduct electric current better than any insulator, such as glass, although not as much as a pure conductor, such as copper or aluminium. Doping, or the introduction of impurities, can alter conductivity and a variety of other properties to satisfy the expectations of the embedded system in which they exist. Semiconductors, sometimes referred to as semis or chips, are found in a variety of products such as computers, smartphones, appliances, gaming equipment, and medical equipment.

A semiconductor is a material that conducts electrical currents far beyond an insulator but just below that of a pure conductor, and it may be found in a wide range of electronic devices.

Division of semiconductors

Semiconductors are divided into four categories. A single philosophy governs the semiconductor industry: smaller, quicker, and cheaper. Investors should remember that this semiconductor sector is very cyclical, with booms and busts regularly. Aside from investing in particular semiconductor businesses, ETFs, index funds, and indexes divide the semiconductor industry into chip producers and chip equipment manufacturers.

Classification of Semiconductors

Sl no.	Type	Description
1.	Memory	Memory chips store data temporarily and transmit data to and from the brains of computer devices. Memory prices have been driven so low by market consolidation that only a few heavyweights like Toshiba, Samsung, and NEC could manage to remain in the market.
2.	Microprocessors	These main processing units house the core logic that allows tasks to be completed.
3.	Commodity Integrated Circuit	These chips are called "regular chips." This industry has razor-thin profitability, which is only the largest manufacturers can expect.
4.	Complex SOC	Complex SOC "System on a Chip" is essentially the construction of an integrated circuit chip that has the capabilities of a full system. The market is driven by rising demand for consumer items that mix innovative features with cheaper pricing. With the memory, microprocessor, and commodity integrated circuit industries closed, the SOC the segment is likely the only one remaining with adequate room for a diverse set of businesses.

Indian Semiconductor Industry

Smaller, quicker, and cheaper products are critical to the semiconductor industry's success. A chip with more transistors may do tasks quicker. This increases industry rivalry and new technologies cut the cost of manufacture per chip, potentially lowering the price of a new chip by 50% in a couple of months.

Historically, semiconductor firms were in charge of the whole manufacturing process, from development to manufacturing. However, many chipmakers are increasingly outsourcing manufacturing to those in the sector. Foundry firms that specialise in manufacturing have lately risen to prominence, offering appealing outsourcing choices. Aside from foundries, the number of more specialised architects and chip testers is growing. Semiconductor chip businesses are becoming more lean and efficient. Chip manufacture now resembles a fine dining establishment, with chefs lining up to add the proper amount of spice to the mix.

Major players in the semiconductor industry in India are ASM technologies, Broadcom, CDIL and many more.

The manufacturing process of semiconductor chip

Semiconductor devices are created by a succession of nanofabrication operations on the surfaces of substrates composed of exceptionally pure single crystal silicon. The best semiconductor companies in India makes sure of providing high-quality services. Wafers are the common name for these substrates.

i. Cleaning:

The silicon wafers that make up the semiconductor's foundation are cleaned. Even little oxidation of a wafer might result in circuit faults. Therefore, chemical agents are utilised to eliminate any pollution, including ultra-fine particulates to minute quantities of organic or ferrous residues produced during the manufacturing process.

ii. Film Deposition:

On the wafer, thin-film coatings of silicon oxide, aluminium, and other metals are produced, constituting the circuit materials. Sputtering, in which ions bombard a target substance, such as aluminium or another metal, knocking off subatomic particles which are then transferred on the substrate surface, electrodeposition that is used to produce copper wire layers (copper interlink), and chemical vapour deposition (CVD), wherein special gases are blended to induce a chemical change that forms a vapour containing the desired material

iii. Post-deposition Cleaning:

Brushes, Nanospray using deionised water, or other manual cleaning procedures are used to remove minute particles stuck to the wafer following the film deposition.

iv. Resist Coating:

Resist is applied on the wafer surface (photosensitive chemical). The wafer is then spun, producing centrifugal force to generate a homogeneous resistance layer on the wafer surface.

v. Exposure:

Short-wavelength ultraviolet solid light is transmitted via a mask over which the circuit layout has been constructed to expose the wafer.

vi. Development:

The wafer is sprayed on the development, which dissolves the portions exposed to light and reveals the thin coating on the substrate surface.

vii. Etching:

Wet etching involves dissolving the exposed thin coating on the surface layer using chemicals like phosphoric acid or hydrofluoric acid and then removing it. This establishes the pattern.

viii. Impurities are implanted:

Impurities such as boron or phosphorus ions are implanted in wafers to provide the silicon substrates' semiconducting characteristics.

ix. Activation:

To activate the doped ions deposited in the wafer, heat processing employs laser or flash lamp radiation.

x. Resist stripping:

Resist can be removed in a wet station that utilizes chemicals to eliminate the resist, or through ashing, which uses gases to induce a chemical reaction to remove the resist.

xi. Assembly:

The wafer is divided into small chips (dicing). These chips are wire-bonded to a metal case termed as lead frame, and the wafer is then covered in epoxy resin material (packaging).

Here are the top 10 semiconductor chip manufacturing companies in India

1. Bharat Electronics Limited.

Bharat Electronics, a government-owned company in India, makes cutting-edge electronic equipment for the aerospace and defense industries, particularly transistors. They are the leading Semiconductor Manufacturers in India.

2. Continental Device India Ltd (CDIL)

A Delhi-based Indian semiconductor manufacturer, it is widely regarded as being amongst the country's leaders in the production of Silicone Semiconductor Chips and Systems. CDIL has made considerable advancements in the semiconductor sector since its inception in 1964.

3. Applied Materials

Applied Materials, founded in 1967, is a microchip manufacturing firm located in the United States. The backing of its Indian affiliate, Applied Materials, a well-known semiconductor brand, has been critical to India's semiconductor market expansion. They are the leading semiconductor industry in India.

4. TSMC India

TSMC is a Taiwan-based electronic firm that has expanded its operations to Bangalore, India. The business intends to open a manufacturing facility in India. It will target clients in the USA and other western countries by establishing a foothold in India.

5. Micron Technology

Micron Technology is now a semiconductor manufacturing business headquartered in Bangalore, India. It was formed in 1978. For years, the firm has worked in the semiconductor industry that has been one of the best semiconductor manufacturers in India.

6. Solex Energy Limited

Solar panels, semiconductors, and many other electronic parts are manufactured by the Solex Energy firm. Solex was founded in 1998 and has completed numerous large projects. Solex is also acknowledged as having India's most sophisticated solar cell manufacturing capacity.

7. Masamb Electronics

Masamb Electronics is an Indian semiconductor company that was created in 2007. Masamb hires semiconductor industry professionals, which helps to explain why it develops some of the best approaches across the world.

8. Semtronics Micro Systems

Semtronics Micro Systems is a firm that produces a variety of power electronic devices. Being one of the leading semiconductor companies in India, it creates items that are appropriate for Indian clients.

9. Samsung Semiconductor India

Samsung Semiconductor Inc is a semiconductor manufacturer which is based in California with a Bangalore division. This is one of the few fabless semiconductor companies in the country that provides a wide variety of services.

10. Broadcom

Broadcom Corporation is a US-based fabless semiconductor manufacturer that primarily manufactures electronic equipment for both the internet package and telecommunications sectors. It was established in 1991 and it is one of the best and reputed semiconductor chip manufacturing companies in India.

Conclusion

India is still developing its semiconductor manufacturing skills, and the Indian government's recent push to boost semiconductor production is a welcome boost. Furthermore, an increasing number of startups and firms are joining the industry described above to assist the country in overcoming the scarcity of semiconductors, if not resolving the overall semiconductor problem.

FAQs: Semiconductor Chip

Q. How long does one semiconductor chip take to manufacture?

Ans. Making them is a sensitive process that takes place in so-called enclosed spaces. Before accessing a "clean room", workers put on protective clothing to avoid contamination. It takes roughly three months to make only one chip, if not longer.

Q. What materials are required for the production of semiconductor chips?

Ans. Silicon is plentiful and has been the most used material for computer chip production. Silicon is a semiconductor that occurs naturally. Doping is a process that involves injecting flaws into silicon to affect its electrical properties in the best way.

Q. What is the significance of silicon manufacture in India?

Ans. India has a sizable market for durable consumer electronics. As a result, India has a significant need for semiconductor production. Many firms are now entering this market and attempting to serve it.

Q. Why is there a semiconductor chip shortage?

Ans. Over the last two years, a combination of rising demand for consumer items containing chips and pandemic-related production interruptions has resulted in semiconductor shortages and spiking costs as well.