TSMC started the technology research and development of 1.4nm process
It is unclear which process Intel and Samsung will use to benchmark with TSMC’s 1.4nm-level process. According to the technology roadmap of the process technology announced by Intel last year, only Intel 18A (1.8nm-level) is currently arranged. Intel plans to introduce two breakthrough technologies, RibbonFET and PowerVia, at the Intel 20A process node. It also recently vowed to launch the Intel 18A (1.8nm level) with an improved RibbonFET in late 2024, ahead of TSMC’s 2nm process to achieve a performance-per-watt lead.
Many people in the industry are skeptical of the foundry’s manufacturing process plan, worrying that there will be more unpredictable obstacles in research and development, which will lead to delays in mass production time or unsatisfactory yields. As chip sizes get smaller and process technology barriers get higher, circuits must be drawn more precisely, and production management becomes more difficult.