TSMC wafer
TSMC wafer
TSMC welcomed Fab 22 in Kaohsiung, Taiwan with an expansion ceremony. The fab, which is under construction, is part of a $45 billion investment TSMC is making in Taiwan as the company prepares to mass produce processors with its highly anticipated N2 (2nm-class) process. TSMC believes the investment will lead to at least 7,000 tech jobs, according to a report in the Taipei Times. The company will also produce N2 at Fab 20, which is near Baoshan. TSMC is expected to officially begin taking orders for its N2 process today. As we’ve mentioned before, Apple will likely be the first customer to have a chance to place an order.
The new 2nm process seems poised to be a massive success for TSMC. Each wafer will likely carry a price tag near $30,000, though TSMC keeps its actual numbers close to the vest. As for how many wafers TSMC will be able to produce, there are conflicting reports, but suggestions that TSMC could produce 50,000 N2 wafers per month by the end of 2025 seem likely. The Taipei Times recently put the number at a more modest 30,000 and Wccftech noted that there are other estimates out there, including as high as 80,000. Although that’s a wide range, it’s not surprising to see reports vary about potential production numbers for fabs.
TSMC building
TSMC building
Credit: TSMC
With the N2 process, TSMC is making a major technology shift. The company is putting the venerable FINFET process aside in favor of gates-all-around (GAA) transistor nanosheets. The new process allows for boosts in performance and energy efficiency, making it a natural successor to FINFET.
One thing you won’t see from TSMC in the N2 process this year is a backside power delivery network (BPDN). TSMC has plans to use a BPDN (which moves power from the front of the chip to the back for better power efficiency and other benefits), but that will likely come later, after Intel releases its 18A node with its own BPDN, known as PowerVia. TSMC’s BPDN, which is called Super Power Rail, will likely show up in the next generation, 1.6nm-class node. That node isn’t expected to make an appearance until 2026.
TSMC’s $45 billion investment appears to represent a signal to Taiwan of TSMC’s commitment. In recent years, TSMC has taken major steps to expand its production facilities beyond Taiwan, including building a fab in the US. That facility, known as Fab 21, currently produces chips using older-generation technology. But with Taiwan recently clearing policy hurdles to TSMC bringing its newest tech to its outside fabs, it makes sense that the company would want to let Taiwan know it isn’t forgetting its roots.