Rapidus to Start 2nm Trial Production in April

Rapidus, a leading Japanese semiconductor manufacturer, has made significant progress on the construction of its first wafer fab, IIM-1. During a recent speech, Junichi Koike, president of Rapidus, confirmed that over 200 pieces of equipment have been installed, marking a major milestone in the facility's development. Koike also revealed that the company plans to begin trial production using its 2nm GAA (Gate-All-Around) process by April 1, 2025.

In addition, it has been reported that Rapidus plans to deliver 2nm chip samples to Broadcom by June 2025. The company aims to start mass production of 2nm products at IIM-1 by 2027, with a second facility, IIM-2, expected to be launched at a later date.

The 2nm process technology is among the most advanced semiconductor manufacturing techniques in the world. Rapidus' successful trial production could enhance Japan's position in the global semiconductor industry and foster increased competition on the international stage.

However, Rapidus is facing significant financial and technical hurdles. The company was initially established with ¥7.3 billion in funding from 14 individual shareholders and eight Japanese corporations. Subsequently, it secured an additional ¥920 billion from Japan's New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). Despite these contributions, there remains a substantial gap to the ¥5 trillion required to fully realize the ambitious project.

As Rapidus progresses, the industry will be closely watching its ability to overcome these challenges and bring cutting-edge semiconductor manufacturing to Japan.