Taiwan's TSMC, the world's largest foundry (contract semiconductor manufacturer), plans to begin mass production of 1.4-nanometer (nanometer, one-billionth of a meter) process semiconductors in 2028, Taiwanese media including the China Times reported on the 20th.
According to sources, TSMC is pushing to mass-produce 2-nanometer products in the fourth quarter of this year, and orders for 2-nanometer products are booked through 2028 production.
The source said TSMC will mass-produce state-of-the-art A14 (1.4-nanometer) process semiconductors in 2028 and is set to begin trial production of sub-1-nanometer process semiconductors in 2029.
Compared with 2 nanometers, TSMC plans to supply 1.4-nanometer process products, which consume up to 30% less power at the same performance level, to key core customers such as Apple.
The sources explained that customers' early orders for TSMC's 2-nanometer products, which are before mass production, show a shortage in supply of chips related to artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC).
They added that TSMC has embarked on bold investments to maintain its leading position amid a surge in demand for such advanced process semiconductors.
They also noted that securing Production yield for stable mass production is crucial, and projected that the yield of cutting-edge processes will become a key indicator of TSMC's profitability and market competitiveness going forward.