International Journal of Production Research

Compound semiconductor manufacturing supply chain

Almost all products and devices on the planet and in space are powered by semiconductors or compound semiconductors, directly or indirectly. Artificial Intelligence (AI), power electronics, photonics, quantum computing, cyber, clean energy, transport and telecommunications, civil and defence futures will further exacerbate this dependency. Compound semiconductor manufacturing supply chain security and resilience are extensive global challenges. Disruption in compound semiconductor manufacturing supply chains impacts world-wide functionality. Chip shortages during the pandemic and geo-political tensions from examples such as the USA CHIPS Act have resulted in factory shutdowns and redesign of compound semiconductor manufacturing supply chains.

Globally, the USA CHIPS Act, the UK National Semiconductor Strategy and the European CHIPS Act policies will shape the future of compound semiconductor manufacturing supply chains [1,2,5]. Various export controls have affected ubiquitous flows with increased barriers for this industry including accessibility to materials, equipment, and skilled workforces. The US controls key semiconductor industry bottlenecks. China is dependent on foreign sources for chips, especially given the US and its allies dominate over 90% of global semiconductor equipment manufacturing. The China 14th five-year plan includes priority for semiconductor independence and self-sufficiency in its supply chain. Commensurate actions are occurring with additional policies and tactics that will further alter supply chain actions and strategies for the industry.

Compound semiconductor manufacturing processes include selection and preparation of substrates, through to wafer, device and integrated chip fabrication, packaging and testing. Often the processes use Silicon (Si)—an element that is more accessible when compared to other rare elements and critical minerals [3,4]. Higher efficiency and performance in compound semiconductor manufacture demands integration with rare elements and critical minerals doping.

China is the biggest refinery producer of Galium (Ga), Germanium (Ge), Indium (In), critical minerals in global semiconductor production. Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, China, USA, Malaysia and UK are global leaders in the semiconductor manufacturing supply chain. Semiconductor supply chain security and resiliency requires increased understanding of global materials and product flow interdependency [6,7,8]. Re-orientation of the supply chain can potentially lead to breakthrough and innovative perspectives and insights. Where and how the future compound semiconductor manufacturing supply chain would look like is on the minds of industry and governments—knowing that society will be heavily dependent on these innovations.

Additional innovations beyond product and materials flows are needed. The existing fabrication process is slow and resource intensive, requiring energy, water and chemical resources. Improving semiconductor manufacturing supply chain environmental sustainability and scalability remain urgent concerns as the global market evolves and transitions. Multiple congruent events are intertwined and evolving with the AI economy, digital economy, circular economy, net zero and carbon neutrality strategies, cleaner and greener technologies and practices, supported by digital interventions leading to potential increased resource efficiency and sustainability [9,10]. If integrated thoughtfully, broader innovations including large scale data science coupled with life cycle assessment (LCA), techno-economic assessment (TEA), supply chain modelling, Geographical Information Systems (GIS), spatial-temporal modelling, Industry 4.0 and 5.0 approaches such as AI/Machine Learning (ML)/Deep Learning (DL), blockchain, sentiment analysis, Natural Language Processing (NLP), robotics, and digital twins [11,12,13,14,15] can provide deeper understanding of the compound semiconductor manufacturing supply chain.

This International Journal of Production Research (IJPR) Special Issue seeks to integrate multi-disciplinary or transdisciplinary research from various perspectives on shaping future security, resiliency and sustainability of the compound semiconductor manufacturing supply chain. The Special Issue aims to advance understanding and chart new ground and knowledge of the compound semiconductor manufacturing supply chain. Materials, fabrication, converging supply chains, operations management, operations research and management science, manufacturing, business management, engineering, physics, electronics, policy studies, economic and environmental science decisions will require this multi-disciplinary effort.

We welcome a variety of submissions and perspectives. Mixed-methods, rigorous quantitative and qualitative empirical research, advanced modelling (all types), experimental, analytical, theoretical advancement, practical relevance, with industry, managerial and policy implications are welcome in various mixes. The following potential topics are relevant, but are not exhaustive and we encourage creativity in research questions and investigations:

• Next generation compound semiconductor manufacturing fabrication III-V advances;
• Design, prototyping, fabrication, packaging and testing process and scaling;
• LCA and TEA advances in compound semiconductor manufacturing supply chains;
• Circular economy, reuse and recycling of semiconductor materials and flows;
• Chip closed-loop and circular compound semiconductor manufacturing supply chains;
• Rare elements and critical minerals substitution investigation in compound semiconductors;
• Reshoring and repatriating compound semiconductor manufacturing supply chains;
• Innovative OR/OM/MS approaches for compound semiconductor manufacturing supply chain optimisation incorporating security, resiliency and sustainability;
• AI and digital approaches to enhance security, resiliency and sustainability of compound semiconductor manufacturing supply chains;
• New sustainable manufacturing and fabrication technologies for compound semiconductors;
• Spatial-temporal and compound semiconductor manufacturing supply chain modelling;
• Integrating geo-political, policy and economic tensions investigation to mitigate chip shortages along the supply chain;
• Scenario modelling towards new structure of future compound semiconductor manufacturing supply chains;
• New substrate, film and epitaxy growth technologies forecasting and comparison;
• Sustainable, resource and energy efficient wafer fabrication and device applications;
• Resource flow evaluation, assessment of risks and availability, mitigation and adaptation strategies;
• Policy integrations (current and future) to improve security, resiliency and sustainability;
• Future states of nations and industries dependent on compound semiconductor manufacturing supply chains;
• Critical assessment of interdependency of compound semiconductor technology and critical mineral across products and services;
• Empirical case studies of compound semiconductor manufacturing supply chain;
• Tensions and relationships between resiliency, security and sustainability;
• Data science approaches for greater visibility in compound semiconductor manufacturing supply chains and their critical minerals;
• New methodologies building from experimental and advanced modelling integration

References

1. UK Government, 2023, National semiconductor strategy.
2. UK Parliament, 2024, Supply of semiconductor chips, POSTnote 721.
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5. Simchi-Levi D, Zhu F, Loy M, 2022, Fixing the US semiconductor supply chain, Harvard Business Review.
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14. Koh L, Dolgui, Sarkis, J, 2020, Blockchain in transport and logistics: Paradigms and transitions, International Journal of Production Research.
15. Beerling et al, 2020, Potential for large scale CO2 removal via enhanced rock weathering with croplands, Nature.