UMC (NYSE : UMC; TWSE : 2303) and AP Memory (TWSE : 6531) announced on the 22nd that they will embark on technical and manufacturing cooperation to advance power supply solutions for AI and high-performance computing (HPC) systems. This collaboration will combine UMC's deep trench capacitor (DTC) foundry technology and scalable wafer manufacturing capabilities with AP Memory's silicon capacitor design and system-level integration capabilities in order to address the challenges of power efficiency in next-generation data centers.
With the rapid expansion of the workload of AI, the computational system's requirements for power supply have never been higher before. This has led to a shift in data center architecture, from placing power stabilization components on circuit boards to directly embedding capacitors into the interlayer or substrate. This approach can shorten the power supply path, improve power integrity, and support more efficient voltage regulation in advanced packaging.
Both parties stated that significant progress was made in this collaboration during the third quarter of 2026: The S-SiCap ™ Gen2D discrete silicon capacitor design of AP Memory has completed tape-out, and preliminary functional verification has been carried out. The next step will involve comprehensive system-level performance and reliability testing of the capacitors during substrate packaging, with the goal of supporting various capacitor values and operating voltage requirements. UMC and AP Memory are also exploring expanding the cooperation to other product lines, including capacitor-embedded interlayers and board-side capacitors, to meet the needs of diverse system designs.
GC Hung, Senior Vice President of UMC, stated: "The growth of AI and HPC is driving a fundamental shift in power supply methods – from board-level power supply to a more vertical integration of power supplies at the chip level. UMC provides robust power supply solutions, including our DTC technology, which allows high-density capacitors to be placed closer to the computing chips for more stable power supply. By collaborating with AP Memory, we are helping to bring scalable solutions to market to address the key power supply bottlenecks in the ongoing evolution of AI infrastructure."
President Ivan Hong stated: "Our customized S-SiCap ™ products, which utilize DTC technology, have successfully completed tape-out and preliminary wafer verification, marking an important milestone in the S-SiCap ™ design of AP Memory in terms of flexibility and manufacturability. Through collaboration with UMC, we are providing our customers with a comprehensive solution from product design to wafer manufacturing."
UMC's power supply solution roadmap covers discrete and embedded silicon capacitors that can be applied to different system architectures, and extends to active components such as internal voltage regulators. UMC is also leveraging its advanced packaging capabilities to support higher density integration of power components in order to meet the higher voltage and capacitance requirements of next-generation data centers. At the same time, UMC is further investing in new manufacturing capacities to support power supply and heterogeneous integration solutions.
About UMC
UMC (NYSE : UMC, TWSE : 2303) is a globally leading semiconductor wafer foundry company. The company provides high-quality IC manufacturing services, focusing on logic and various special process technologies, serving major sectors of the electronics industry. UMC's comprehensive IC process technologies and manufacturing solutions include logic/hybrid signal, embedded high voltage, embedded non-volatile memory, RFSOI, BCD, etc. Most of UMC's 12-inch and 8-inch wafer factories and core R&D facilities are located in Taiwan, with additional factories in other regions of Asia. UMC has a total of 12 wafer factories in production, with a combined capacity of over 400,000 wafers per month (calculated on a 12-inch equivalent basis), and all are certified to the IATF Automotive Quality Standard 16949. UMC's headquarters are located in Hsinchu, Taiwan, with local offices in the United States, Europe, China, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, employing a total of 20,000 people worldwide. For more information, please visit: http :// www.umc.com.
UMC's Explanation on Forward-looking Statements
Some of the statements in the aforementioned announcement are forward-looking statements in the meaning of the U.S. Federal Securities Laws, including statements regarding the introduction of new services and technologies, future outsourcing, competition, wafer capacity, business relationships, and market conditions. Investors should note that due to various factors, actual events and results may differ significantly from these statements, including the overall semiconductor market and economic conditions, market acceptance and demand for UMC's products, as well as technical and development risks. For more information regarding these and other risks, please refer to the documents submitted by UMC to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by applicable laws, UMC has no obligation to update any forward-looking statements due to new information, future events, or other reasons.
About AP Memory
AP Memory ( TWSE : 6531) is a global fabless semiconductor design company that focuses on customized storage design and IP solutions. Its products include Internet of Things memory ( IoTRAM ™), AI storage solutions ( VHM ™), as well as silicon capacitors ( S-SiCap ™). With its strong R&D capabilities, AP Memory is committed to providing high-performance, low-power, and innovative customized products and solutions for applications such as mobile communications, wearable devices, the Internet of Things, high-end mobile applications, high-performance computing, and edge computing.
