TSMC Announced Development Status of 3nm Process at Financial Results Briefing
🟩 Development is on track and emphasized
TSMC announced that the development of the next generation of 3nm processes is well underway. Production will begin at the Tainan plant in the second half of 2022 and will be monetized from 2023. He emphasized that he has consistently stated that production will begin in the second half of 2019-2022 and that development is on track.
Semiconductor processes are being developed with major nodes that are updated every 2~3 years and improvement nodes. TSMC’s latest major node will be the 5nm process. It was used in the “M1” chip of Apple’s MacBook and the “A12” chip of the iPhone 14 series.
TSMC’s Major Nodes
- 2018~ 7nm Process
- 2020~ 5nm Process
- 2022~ 3nm Process
- 2025~ 2nm Process
Rival Samsung Electronics announced that it will start production of a 3nm process using a GAA (Gate All Around) structure in the first half of 2022. TSMC has fallen behind, but why did you emphasize that development was on track?
🟩 High adoption of 3nm customers
TSMC’s 3nm process uses a mature FinFET transistor structure rather than GAA. However the performance emphasizes the balance of cost, transistor technology is both the most advanced technology.
3nm process (5nm ratio)
- Performance
- TSMC +10~15%
- Samsung +30%
- Power consumption
- TSMC +25~30%
- Samsung -50%
According to TSMC, 3nm is more complex than the 5nm process, requires the use of many new equipment, and is more expensive. However, many customers are already adopting the 3nm process, and it is expected that the number of tapeouts in the first year will increase at 5nm compared to 1nm.
🟩 Summary
He emphasized that TSMC is steadily advancing the development of the 3nm process as it already has customers.
He emphasized that Samsung Electronics may be leading the way on a technical level, but that development is going smoothly with confidence because it already has customers. It is exactly like yokozuna sumo.
It also announced that the 2nm process with GAA construction will be released in 2025. In 2025, Intel has also announced a world-leading strategy with Intel 18A. The foundry’s technology development movement in the next 3~4 years is a highlight.
