台積電共同營運長米玉傑所指出的現實：半導體架構每一次的世代演進，對材料工程和製程的要求都在持續拉高。面對 AI 帶來的全球性挑戰，整個產業都需要攜手合作 TSMC Engagement；Samsung Engagement。半導體設備商應用材料（應材）宣布，台積電正式加入他們位於美國矽谷的 EPIC 中心。Applied Materials is establishing its $5 billion+ EPIC Center in Silicon Valley, set to be operational in 2026, as a hub for collaborative semiconductor R&D with major industry leaders, including TSMC and Samsung Electronics.

AI Overview

Applied Materials is establishing its $5 billion+ EPIC Center in Silicon Valley, set to be operational in 2026, as a hub for collaborative semiconductor R&D with major industry leaders, including TSMC and Samsung Electronics. The center is designed to accelerate innovation in AI chips and advanced manufacturing by shortening the time from R&D to commercialization. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Key Details of the EPIC Center Initiative

• Purpose: The Equipment and Process Innovation and Commercialization (EPIC) Center serves as a platform for co-developing materials engineering, next-generation manufacturing equipment, and advanced process technologies.
• Scale: It is considered the largest-ever U.S. investment in advanced semiconductor equipment R&D.
• Goal: The project aims to reduce the time for developing new materials and processes from research to manufacturing, targeting a reduction of several years. [1, 2, 3, 4]

TSMC Engagement

• Partnership Focus: Applied Materials and TSMC are collaborating to solve critical challenges in advanced logic scaling for AI and high-performance computing (HPC).
• Focus Areas: Key areas include 3D transistors, advanced materials, and process integration for improved yield and reliability.
• Advantage: As a founding partner, TSMC secures early access to next-generation equipment to accelerate high-volume manufacturing readiness. [1, 2, 3]

Samsung Engagement

• Founding Member: Samsung Electronics joined as a founding member to focus on co-development of materials engineering.
• Collaborative Focus: The collaboration with Samsung covers advanced node scaling, future memory architectures, and extreme 3D integration. [1, 2]

Industry Impact

• Comprehensive Ecosystem: With both TSMC and Samsung, along with memory makers SK Hynix and Micron, the EPIC Center connects the world’s leading logic and memory chipmakers, giving Applied Materials unmatched visibility across the industry roadmap.
• AI Acceleration: The center is specifically designed to address the, rapid advancement of AI technologies, enabling faster deployment of efficient chips. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

錢線閒聊 ·

沒想到，一顆晶片的開發週期，竟然逼得全球半導體巨頭們打破傳統的「接力賽」模式，全數擠進同一個研發中心裡。

全球最大的半導體設備商應用材料（應材）宣布，台積電正式加入他們位於美國矽谷的 EPIC 中心。

這不是一般的商業結盟。這個全名為「設備與製程創新暨商業化」的研發基地，預計今年投入營運，內部擁有超過 18 萬平方英尺的先進無塵室。應材表示，該中心的資本支出將隨客戶專案展開，逐步增加至約 50 億美元，直接創下美國史上最大規模的先進半導體設備研發投資紀錄。

為什麼連台積電都要加入？答案在於時間。

過去，傳統晶片開發就像一場漫長的闖關遊戲。從早期研發到全面量產，上下游廠商習慣採分工串接、階段式推進，整個開發週期拉長下來，往往需要耗費 10 到 15 年。

但在 AI 浪潮的推動下，10 年太久了。

EPIC 模式想要打破這個規矩。他們把晶圓代工廠、設備商與製程研發團隊全部拉到最前線，改採「平行開發、敏捷交接」。這意味著，台積電可以在安全的合作環境中，比以往更早接觸到應材下一代的最新技術與設備，加快學習週期，大幅縮短技術走向商業化與量產的時間。

這已經不再是單純的「你賣設備、我買來生產」的供應關係。

事實上，台積電並不是唯一看懂這盤棋的玩家。早在這之前，三星就已經在今年 2 月以創始成員的身份加入；而在記憶體領域，美光與 SK 海力士也全面入列，準備共同開發 AI 與高效能運算所需的新一代記憶體技術。

不只晶片製造商，就連半導體測試設備大廠，甚至是史丹佛大學等頂尖學術機構也被納入首批研究夥伴。應材正在矽谷打造一個全球最大、技術最先進的半導體共同開發平台，讓學術研究也能更快進行迭代與驗證。

正如台積電共同營運長米玉傑所指出的現實：半導體架構每一次的世代演進，對材料工程和製程的要求都在持續拉高。面對 AI 帶來的全球性挑戰，整個產業都需要攜手合作。

當先進製程的推進越來越吃力，連主宰市場的晶片霸主們，也不得不改變戰略、把合作的時鐘撥快。

技術的革命，從來不會停下來等誰。 #樂樂

(示意圖／AI生成，僅作為新聞說明輔助使用) #fblifestyle