Friday, November 29th 2024

TSMC Could Bring 2 nm Production Overseas, Taiwanese Minister Confirms

Taiwanese political officials have agreed to discuss transferring TSMC's advanced 2 nm chip technology to allied democratic nations, but only after establishing the main mass production launch in late 2025 in Taiwan. This new stance comes amid growing international pressure and recent comments from upcoming US president Donald Trump about semiconductor manufacturing. The announcement by National Science and Technology Council Minister Cheng-Wen Wu marks a notable departure from earlier statements by Economic Affairs Minister J.W. Kuo, who had previously emphasized legal restrictions on transferring leading-edge process technology overseas. Interestingly, these different positions aren't so different from one point: timeline of node deployments. As TSMC produces latest nodes in Taiwan, overseas production will lag by a generation or two.

TSMC plans to implement its 2 nm technology in US facilities by 2030. The company's Arizona facility, Fab 21, will begin with less advanced N4 and N5 processes in early 2025 and progress to 3 nm technology by 2028. However, this timeline could face pressure for acceleration, mainly if new trade policies are implemented. Industry analyst Dan Nystedt points out significant challenges in transferring advanced chip production. Integrating research and development with manufacturing processes in Taiwan provides crucial advantages for initial production ramps, making simultaneous mass production launches in multiple locations technically challenging. Simply put, there aren't enough capable engineers, scientists, and factory workers capable of doing what TSMC accomplishes in Taiwan.
Trump's recent criticism of the CHIPS and Science Act, suggesting tariffs as an alternative to current incentives, has raised questions about future US approaches to securing domestic chip production. The potential technology transfer faces practical limitations, including global shortages of fabrication equipment and the complex nature of establishing advanced semiconductor facilities. These challenges could impact any accelerated timeline for implementing 2 nm production capabilities outside Taiwan. However, the 2 nm node could come to US facilities by the end of the next decade. By then, more advanced nodes will be produced in Taiwan.
Sources: Dan Nystedt, UDN, via Tom's Hardware
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16 Comments on TSMC Could Bring 2 nm Production Overseas, Taiwanese Minister Confirms

#1
usiname
When your democratic partner or rather master forces you to do things against your will or there will be serious consequences. Modern "democracy"
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#2
phanbuey
usinameWhen your democratic partner or rather master forces you to do things against your will or there will be serious consequences. Modern "democracy"
As opposed to the alternative...
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#3
TristanX
in the end, Taiwan is US Taiwan State, 60th state of US.
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#4
3valatzy
TristanXin the end, Taiwan is US Taiwan State, 60th state of US.
Soon it's gonna lose it. Because the US is an empire in decline - technological, political, moral.
Posted on Reply
#5
ScaLibBDP
3valatzySoon it's gonna lose it. Because the US is an empire in decline - technological, political, moral.
That is why Gov't of USA wants to have as many as possible TSMC factories in the USA.
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#6
N/A
By that time 1,4 nm will be the leading node so there's no significant departure from earlier.
Posted on Reply
#7
Flanker
TristanXin the end, Taiwan is US Taiwan State, 60th state of US.
But without the citizenship
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#9
A&P211
3valatzySoon it's gonna lose it. Because the US is an empire in decline - technological, political, moral.
That's been going on for thirty years.
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#10
Legacy-ZA
This is a good move; more jobs to the U.S and, the constant turbulent waters there, Taiwan could find itself within conflict, which would severely impact global chip production, which would be horrible for everyone.
Posted on Reply
#11
Shihab
Legacy-ZAThis is a good move; more jobs to the U.S and, the constant turbulent waters there, Taiwan could find itself within conflict, which would severely impact global chip production, which would be horrible for everyone.
Racketeering also created more jobs for the mob...

I would also love to see a chip production decentralising. If only one specific state wasn't going out of its way to lock its perceived competition out of the market.
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#12
Prima.Vera
Legacy-ZAThis is a good move; more jobs to the U.S
From the article:
Simply put, there aren't enough capable engineers, scientists, and factory workers capable of doing what TSMC accomplishes in Taiwan.
So it's not just more jobs, it is also about the very qualified personal...
Posted on Reply
#13
maximumterror
Legacy-ZAThis is a good move; more jobs to the U.S and, the constant turbulent waters there, Taiwan could find itself within conflict, which would severely impact global chip production, which would be horrible for everyone.
In any case, it will affect everyone, because building a factory costs money, paying salaries also, not forgetting that a new factory in the USA will reduce Taiwan's own income, which will again hurt non-American consumers financially. So thanks to the lunatic Trump
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#14
Legacy-ZA
Prima.VeraFrom the article:

So it's not just more jobs, it is also about the very qualified personal...
The personnel required, can be trained, in the meantime, jobs will be created in construction, also, this decentralizes fabrication, politics aside, look at what happened when they had water shortages not long ago, now what about earthquakes, or flooding? No one is immune to natural disasters. Can you imagine the world-wide disaster that would be created if they go offline for some reason? You think people are complaining about products prices now?

No, this is a good thing.
Posted on Reply
#15
maximumterror
Can you imagine Taiwan is a high-tech hub for the past 30 years with all the natural disasters?
Legacy-ZAYou think people are complaining about products prices now?
Every time AMD launches a new processor, I see a lot of comments: "They need to lower the prices"

Taiwan itself is losing incomes, how is this good for Taiwan?
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#16
DaemonForce
Prima.VeraSo it's not just more jobs, it is also about the very qualified personal...
Of course there are a select elite even capable of doing the job. You think just anybody can do this? EE is great and all but this is kind of specialty to the extreme.
Legacy-ZAThe personnel required, can be trained, in the meantime, jobs will be created in construction, also, this decentralizes fabrication
Hahaahahaha! That's an unacceptable amount of brain drain and the TW specialists know it.
Legacy-ZACan you imagine the world-wide disaster that would be created if they go offline for some reason? You think people are complaining about products prices now?
Yes it would be another dark age. There are friends in CN places that hear the beat of the wardrum every day and I get to hear about it but at the end of the day anyone trying to harm the silicon seat of the world would ultimately be destroying themselves. Nobody would be willing to work with such people for upsetting such a nice way of life. I get dogpiled for this one a lot but the real answer to this is figuring out a way to romance the TWs into American life and having them settle in for the future. Look at today and pick any economic, political or social climate +/-10 years and it's still a very tall order. I'm sure some of us can figure out a way to make it work but the current state of things seems to be working fine. A little spooky but I'm not sure it can be helped.

Really looking forward to the 2nm tech. At 7nm I told myself 2nm is when I jump in to build again.
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