Industry Standard Pricing Structure: MPW and Full-Mask (NTO)
This document outlines the factual cost calculation logic used by semiconductor foundries for MPW and Full-Mask projects.
1. MPW (Multi-Project Wafer) Pricing Logic
MPW pricing is determined by the number of allocated “Seats” and the number of extra wafers purchased to increase die count.
[Formula]
MPW Cost = (Seat Price × Seat Count) + (Wafer Unit Price × Extra Wafer Qty)
- Seat Allocation (Reticle Allocation):
- Foundries define a fixed grid (e.g., 5mm × 5mm) as One Seat.
- The billing benchmark is the Die Size (including the Seal Ring).
- If the die size exceeds the grid limit by any margin (e.g., 5.01mm), Two Seats are charged.
- Scribe Lane: Spacing between different customers’ dies is managed by the foundry and is not included in the customer’s die size calculation for billing.
- Deliverables (Sample Quantity):
- Standard Output: The base Seat Price includes a Fixed Gross Quantity of dies (typically 30–50 ea).
- Condition: Deliverables are Untested Gross Dies.
- Extra Quantity:
- If more samples are required, the customer must purchase extra wafers at the time of booking.
- The customer pays the Wafer Unit Price per additional wafer to receive the extra volume of their specific dies.
2. Full-Mask (NTO) Pricing Logic
Full-Mask pricing is the sum of the Mask NRE and the production cost of the initial wafers, proportional to the number of process layers.
[Formula]
Total NTO Cost = Mask NRE + (Wafer Unit Price × Wafer Qty)
- Mask NRE (Non-Recurring Engineering):
- The total cost is the sum of the prices for each individual mask layer.
- Mask NRE = Σ (Mask Cost per Layer)
- Individual mask costs vary depending on the lithography tool required (e.g., ArF Immersion, ArF, KrF, or I-line).
- Wafer Unit Price:
- The price per wafer is determined by the total number of mask layers in the process.
- Wafer Unit Price ≈ (Total Mask Layers) × (Cost per Layer Step)
- Initial Lot:
- NTO contracts typically include an initial lot (e.g., 12 or 25 wafers) as the minimum starting volume.
Summary Table
| Feature | MPW (Multi-Project Wafer) | Full-Mask (NTO) |
| Primary Cost Factor | Seat Count (Grid Allocation) | Layer Count (Masks & Steps) |
| Size Benchmark | Die Size (including Seal Ring) | Full Mask Set (Fixed) |
| Output Type | Gross Dies (Untested) | Full Wafers |
| Extra Volume | Extra Wafer Purchase | Additional Wafer Qty |