We don’t compete with our customers – TSMC

Author: EIS Release Date: May 29, 2023


TSMC pointed up a differentiator between itself and its two foundry rivals –  Samsung and Intel – at a technology symposium in Hsinchu yesterday.

TSMC CEO C.C. Wei (pictured) said that TSMC was more reliable and trustworthy than its two rivals because “Our two competitors, one from South Korea and one based in California, develop their products,” reported the Taipei Times.

Intel is aiming to overtake TSMC in process technology in 2025 at 2nm and Samsung is aiming to overtake TSMC by beating it to the gun on GAA and mstching it with 2nm in 2025, but TSMC svp Kevin Zhang was confident that TSMC would keep the technology crown.

“Today, the 3-nanometer technology we offer is the world’s most advanced technology,” said Zhang, “when we launch our 2-nanometer technology in 2025, there is no doubt in my mind that it will be the most advanced semiconductor technology in the world.” Two enhanced versions of the 2nm process, dubbed N2P and N2X, would be launched in 2026.

 


On 3nm, Zhang said thatyield would soon catch up with 5nn yields. “We have strong confidence in our 3-nanometer process, which is stable,” added Zhang, “we are seeing 1.5 to two times the number of customers engaging in our 3-nanometer compared with 5-nanometer during the initial period.”

TSMC’s automotive customers are participating in a program to upgrade to a new version of 3nm auto chips, called Auto Early technology, said Zhang. The new technology would allow customers to start designing chips two to three years earlier than before and to shorten their time to market, he said.

TSMC is building its first 2nm fab in Hsinchu and will break ground for another one in Taichung next year.