TSMC Reveals 2nm Semiconductor Plans, Mass Production Set for 2025

TSMC, a leading distributor of electronic components, has shared detailed information about its next-generation 2nm semiconductor manufacturing process in its annual report submitted to shareholders today.

In the business report addressed to shareholders, TSMC Chairman Liu Deyin and President Wei Chechia reviewed the company's progress over the past year and mentioned the technological developments in preparation for the expected mass production of the 2nm technology (N2) starting in 2025. The manufacturing process will take place in the Hsinchu and Taichung Science Parks.

According to the business report addressed to shareholders, TSMC's 2nm technology will employ nanosheet transistor structures, providing benefits in terms of overall process performance and power efficiency. Compared to N3E, N2 will offer a 10%-15% increase in speed at the same power consumption or a 25%-30% reduction in power consumption at the same speed, meeting the growing demand for energy-efficient computing.

TSMC also stated that the development of N2 technology is progressing as planned, with trial production expected in 2024 and mass production in 2025.

The report further mentions that TSMC increased its research and development expenses to $5.47 billion in 2022 (approximately 37.798 billion Chinese yuan), and the 5nm family technology entered its third year of mass production, contributing 26% to the company's revenue.

The N4 process entered mass production in 2022. TSMC also introduced N4P and N4X processes, with N4P progressing smoothly in research and development and expected to enter mass production in 2023. N4X is TSMC's first technology focused on high-performance computing (HPC) and heavy workloads, with customer product design expected in 2023.

Following the mass production of the N3 process in 2022, the N3E, which offers improved performance, power consumption, and yield, is expected to enter mass production in the second half of 2023. TSMC stated that customer engagement for N3 and N3E is very high, with the number of product design engagements in the first and second years of mass production expected to be more than twice that of N5. The N3 family is anticipated to become another large-scale and long-term demand technology for TSMC.