TSMC will hold a 3nm mass production ceremony

by ·

TSMC originally planned to increase production capacity in the second half of the third quarter of this year after completing the technology development and initial trial production of the 3nm process node, and officially bringing the N3 process into the mass production stage. But in the end, due to various reasons, it has been postponed.

According to UDN reports, TSMC will hold a mass production ceremony for the 3nm process node at Fab18 in Tainan Science Park, Taiwan on December 29. There will also be a ceremony for the expansion of the new factory during the period to dispel doubts that its 3nm process is behind schedule. This year TSMC’s 3nm process node has been at the center of rumors. On the one hand, some people criticize TSMC for covering up R&D problems on the grounds of new technologies, while others believe that there are not enough orders to support this expensive semiconductor process at this stage.

TSMC FINFLEX technology

TSMC has always emphasized that its 3nm process node is advancing as planned. TSMC CEO Wei said in the third quarter 2022 earnings conference call that we are currently working closely with job suppliers to prepare for additional capacity to meet the strong demand in 2023 and 2024 and beyond.

From 2022 to 2025, TSMC will successively launch N3, N3E, N3P, N3X, and other processes, and there will be an optimized N3S process in the future. It can cover the use requirements of different platforms such as smartphones, the Internet of Things, automotive chips, and HPC. TSMC still uses FinFET at the N3 process node. However, FINFLEX technology can be used to expand the performance, power, and density range of the process, allowing chip designers to use the same design toolset to choose the best option for each key functional block on the same chip, further improving PPA.

Tags: