Chips, nodes and wafers : A taxonomy for semiconductor data collection

The semiconductor value chain is essential for modern economies but is prone to disruptions that pose considerable risks. Policy makers need robust data to help address a wide array of issues such as identifying bottlenecks, monitoring the balance between supply and demand of specific semiconductor types, as well as managing disruptions in the value chain. This paper establishes a common taxonomy for semiconductor types and production facilities to enable harmonised data collection and sharing. The taxonomy divides semiconductor products into four broad categories: “logic”, “memory”, “analog” and “others”, with further sub-categories based on their prevalence and specific functions. Semiconductor production facilities are classified according to the technology they use, the types of semiconductors they can produce, their production capacity, and other key characteristics. This taxonomy will be the basis for a semiconductor production database – it will be revised in the future to keep pace with technological advancements.