TSMC prepping for 1nm production; Plans to set up facility in Taiwan

The big semiconductor player TSMC is gearing up for 1nm production and is in the early stages of mapping out a state-of-the-art facility in Taiwan.

TSMC just stirred up the semiconductor competition big time by becoming the first foundry worldwide to gear up for 1nm production. This is a major milestone in the industry, as the 1nm realm is often considered the “holy grail” of semiconductor tech. True to form, the Taiwanese giant seems poised to lead the charge, potentially outpacing competitors like Intel and Samsung Foundry. The planned facility in Chiayi County, southern Taiwan, is expected to bring about a tech revolution, delivering significant boosts in performance and efficiency.

Before we dive into the details of the upcoming facility, let’s quickly check out TSMC’s 1nm process. During the IEDM conference, TSMC outlined its goal to roll out the 1nm node by 2030. What’s intriguing is their optimism about cramming in a staggering “trillion transistors” using multiple 3D-stacked chipsets.

TSMC switched things up a bit in their naming game post-2nm. Now, the 1.4nm and 1nm processes are dubbed A14 and A10, a nod to Intel Foundry’s style. But the real challenge for TSMC is how they tackle this, especially considering the major issues the semiconductor industry has faced lately with yield rates and supply.

According to Taiwan Economic Daily, TSMC’s plan for the 1nm facility is no small investment, with projected costs soaring beyond the one trillion won mark, roughly hitting $32 billion. The site is slated for the Southern Taiwan Science Park (STSP), covering an estimated 100 hectares. They plan to split it 60-40 to accommodate both semiconductor and IC packaging production in the new facility. TSMC is also gearing up to launch multiple 2nm fabs in Taiwan. Clearly, the semiconductor giant isn’t slowing down in its pursuit of pushing the boundaries of “node shrinking.”

Chipmakers are gearing up for increased competition in the future, especially with Team Blue set to host its “flagship foundry event,” the IFS Direct Connect, in the upcoming days. The anticipation is high as the company has already achieved its “five nodes in four years” milestone. This suggests that Team Blue might drop some surprising announcements, possibly providing insights into what’s next after 18A, with a sneak peek into their cutting-edge 10A (1nm) process.

It’s crucial to realize that we’re still nearly five years, or maybe even more, away from the 1nm milestone. We’re yet to witness the launch of several processes before it. While TSMC seems poised to lead the charge, a lot depends on how their competitors position themselves in the industry.