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TSMC's 3nm mass production schedule exposed for the first time in August this year

Daniel Nenni

Admin
Staff member
From: United Daily News / Reporter Jian Yongxiang

In the foundry triumvirate, TSMC and Samsung are fighting for 3nm , which has always attracted the attention of the global semiconductor industry. According to the survey, due to a delay in the development schedule, Apple 's new generation of processors still use the 5-nanometer enhanced version of N4P's 3-nanometer TSMC this year, and a major breakthrough has been achieved recently. TSMC decided to take the lead in using the second version of the 3nm process N3B this year. In August this year, the 8th phase of the R&D Center of the Hsinchu Factory 12 and the P5 factory of the Nanke Factory 18 will be launched simultaneously in August this year. Crystal (FinFET) architecture, against Samsung's gate around (GAA) process.

Immediately afterwards, TSMC will accelerate the production volume of the third version of the 3-nanometer process N3E with a rapid increase in yield rate. In addition to Apple's new and updated processors, it also includes processors such as tablets and laptops. It will also fully import the latest N3E process; the rest of the imported customers also include heavyweight semiconductor manufacturers such as Intel and Qualcomm.

The layout of TSMC is also expected to become the focus of the legal person's attention at the legal meeting that TSMC will debut on Thursday (14th) .

3 key indicators of the battle between TSMC and Samsung​


According to TSMC's supply chain, TSMC's more amazing secret weapon is yet to come, that is, 2nm. Although TSMC has gone through many bottlenecks and tests in the 3nm process, it has allowed the R&D personnel to speed up the 2nm process. The internal trial production and mass production of the 2nm process have been successful, and confidence has greatly increased. It is expected to be in this year's technical forum. , the relevant progress was officially disclosed to the public.

The semiconductor industry revealed that the two sides of the TSMC and Samsung process competition competed against three key indicators: performance, power consumption and density (the number of transistors per unit area). In the same process, it depends on who made the chip , has excellent performance, lower power consumption, and who has more transistors, and the number of transistors is high, which also means that the process technology is superior in the same area.

TSMC has repeatedly pointed out that the 3nm performance will increase by 1.7 to 1.8 times compared to the previous generation 5nm transistor density. It is estimated that the chip performance can be improved by more than 10%, and at the same level of performance, the power consumption can be reduced Decrease by 25~30%.


TSMC convened supply chain material-related factories to establish a material supply network dedicated to TSMC. While Samsung's 3nm process is still immature, it once again took advantage of its process and technology leadership to continue to seal Samsung at 3nm.  This is a schematic diagram.  Euronews


TSMC convened supply chain material-related factories to establish a material supply network dedicated to TSMC. While Samsung's 3nm process is still immature, it once again took advantage of its process and technology leadership to continue to seal Samsung at 3nm. This is a schematic diagram. Euronews

However, in the decisive battle between TSMC and Samsung in 3nm, because the two sides adopt different architectures, which architecture produces the best chips, it has naturally become the focus of chipmakers.

TSMC's 3nm extension and 5nm, and even 5nm miniature 4nm, all use fin field effect transistors (FinFET), which is different from Samsung's first step into the GAA technology architecture. The process has been approved by Apple and Intel, and the company has high hopes for the process.

However, TSMC was promoting the trial production of 3nm, but the process did not go as smoothly as expected. At the beginning, it tried to make 3NA, but the progress was not smooth, and then launched the N3B version. It originally thought that the trial production would be successful, but because the yield rate did not meet expectations, it could not be Included in the mass production plan as scheduled. Forcing the 3nm R&D team to try the N3E version with four less masks than the N3B.

According to industry sources, the difficulty of N3 in the FinFET architecture is high because the FinFET line spacing is too close, which affects the uniformity of the copper alloy layout, resulting in that the yield and production capacity cannot climb to the target level in a short time.

TSMC 3nm has achieved major breakthroughs in both N3B and N3E​


After more than a year of hard work, TSMC's 3nm has recently achieved major breakthroughs in both N3B and N3E. According to the survey, Apple has decided to adopt the 4-nanometer process (N4P), which is also the same as the 5-nanometer family, for the new-generation processors used in new mobile phones this year. TSMC decided to promote the 3-nanometer process in the second half of this year as originally planned Mass production, but N3B was first introduced, and mass production was officially launched in the eighth new plant of the R&D center of the 12th plant in Hsinchu and the P5 plant of the Nanke 18B plant.

Among them, the P5 plant of Nanke Plant 18B is mainly used for the second-generation processors of Apple's next-generation tablet PCs and Macbook series notebook computers; the eighth new plant (P8) of the R&D Center of Hsinchu Plant No. 12 is for Intel. The foundry supports the supporting chips in the company's core processors.

This is the first time that TSMC has mass-produced the same process in the north and south. It is also the R&D center of TSMC, changing the new operation mode of only setting up trial production lines and mass production lines in the past.


After more than a year of hard work, TSMC's 3nm has recently achieved major breakthroughs in both N3B and N3E.  This is a schematic diagram.  Figure / United News Department information photo


After more than a year of hard work, TSMC's 3nm has recently achieved major breakthroughs in both N3B and N3E. This is a schematic diagram. Figure / United News Department information photo

As for why the 3-nanometer mass production line was specially opened for Intel, the industry inferred that Intel's 3-nanometer process uses copper material made of copper, which is a pure copper target, which is difficult to produce. Therefore, the TSMC R&D Center is responsible for solving it and putting it into mass production. . However, TSMC does not make any comment on the process adopted by individual customers and the progress of mass production.

TSMC's supply chain revealed that currently, TSMC has initially planned the 3-nanometer production capacity of the Hsinchu R&D center, which is about 10,000 to 20,000 pieces per month. As for the fifth factory of Nanke 18B factory, it will set up a production capacity of about 15,000 pieces.

TSMC plans to introduce more cost-effective N3Es next year. It plans to directly double the monthly production capacity from 25,000 pieces at the end of this year to 50,000 pieces. Depending on the progress of the customer's introduction, it cannot be ruled out that it will be raised to a higher production capacity level. .

The industry also regards TSMC's 3nm as not only a decisive battle between TSMC and Samsung in the technical architecture, but also a showdown in the field of materials.

At present, TSMC has convened supply chain material related factories, including American Applied Materials, German Merck and local manufacturers Koyangke, Zhongsha, with material analysis factories Panquan, Hongkang, and chemical factories Guandong Xinlin, Shengyi, etc. Establishing a material supply network exclusively for TSMC, while Samsung's 3nm process is still immature, once again, with its leading edge in process and technology, Samsung has continued to seal Samsung at 3nm.

 

This week's TSMC investor call is a must listen, absolutely. I think we will hear good news on N3 and N2 and no revenue or CAPEX cut. It will be interesting to compare TSMC's call with Intel's call later this month.
 
From: United Daily News / Reporter Jian Yongxiang

In the foundry triumvirate, TSMC and Samsung are fighting for 3nm , which has always attracted the attention of the global semiconductor industry. According to the survey, due to a delay in the development schedule, Apple 's new generation of processors still use the 5-nanometer enhanced version of N4P's 3-nanometer TSMC this year, and a major breakthrough has been achieved recently. TSMC decided to take the lead in using the second version of the 3nm process N3B this year. In August this year, the 8th phase of the R&D Center of the Hsinchu Factory 12 and the P5 factory of the Nanke Factory 18 will be launched simultaneously in August this year. Crystal (FinFET) architecture, against Samsung's gate around (GAA) process.

Immediately afterwards, TSMC will accelerate the production volume of the third version of the 3-nanometer process N3E with a rapid increase in yield rate. In addition to Apple's new and updated processors, it also includes processors such as tablets and laptops. It will also fully import the latest N3E process; the rest of the imported customers also include heavyweight semiconductor manufacturers such as Intel and Qualcomm.

The layout of TSMC is also expected to become the focus of the legal person's attention at the legal meeting that TSMC will debut on Thursday (14th) .

3 key indicators of the battle between TSMC and Samsung​


According to TSMC's supply chain, TSMC's more amazing secret weapon is yet to come, that is, 2nm. Although TSMC has gone through many bottlenecks and tests in the 3nm process, it has allowed the R&D personnel to speed up the 2nm process. The internal trial production and mass production of the 2nm process have been successful, and confidence has greatly increased. It is expected to be in this year's technical forum. , the relevant progress was officially disclosed to the public.

The semiconductor industry revealed that the two sides of the TSMC and Samsung process competition competed against three key indicators: performance, power consumption and density (the number of transistors per unit area). In the same process, it depends on who made the chip , has excellent performance, lower power consumption, and who has more transistors, and the number of transistors is high, which also means that the process technology is superior in the same area.

TSMC has repeatedly pointed out that the 3nm performance will increase by 1.7 to 1.8 times compared to the previous generation 5nm transistor density. It is estimated that the chip performance can be improved by more than 10%, and at the same level of performance, the power consumption can be reduced Decrease by 25~30%.


TSMC convened supply chain material-related factories to establish a material supply network dedicated to TSMC. While Samsung's 3nm process is still immature, it once again took advantage of its process and technology leadership to continue to seal Samsung at 3nm.  This is a schematic diagram.  Euronews's 3nm process is still immature, it once again took advantage of its process and technology leadership to continue to seal Samsung at 3nm.  This is a schematic diagram.  Euronews


TSMC convened supply chain material-related factories to establish a material supply network dedicated to TSMC. While Samsung's 3nm process is still immature, it once again took advantage of its process and technology leadership to continue to seal Samsung at 3nm. This is a schematic diagram. Euronews

However, in the decisive battle between TSMC and Samsung in 3nm, because the two sides adopt different architectures, which architecture produces the best chips, it has naturally become the focus of chipmakers.

TSMC's 3nm extension and 5nm, and even 5nm miniature 4nm, all use fin field effect transistors (FinFET), which is different from Samsung's first step into the GAA technology architecture. The process has been approved by Apple and Intel, and the company has high hopes for the process.

However, TSMC was promoting the trial production of 3nm, but the process did not go as smoothly as expected. At the beginning, it tried to make 3NA, but the progress was not smooth, and then launched the N3B version. It originally thought that the trial production would be successful, but because the yield rate did not meet expectations, it could not be Included in the mass production plan as scheduled. Forcing the 3nm R&D team to try the N3E version with four less masks than the N3B.

According to industry sources, the difficulty of N3 in the FinFET architecture is high because the FinFET line spacing is too close, which affects the uniformity of the copper alloy layout, resulting in that the yield and production capacity cannot climb to the target level in a short time.

TSMC 3nm has achieved major breakthroughs in both N3B and N3E​


After more than a year of hard work, TSMC's 3nm has recently achieved major breakthroughs in both N3B and N3E. According to the survey, Apple has decided to adopt the 4-nanometer process (N4P), which is also the same as the 5-nanometer family, for the new-generation processors used in new mobile phones this year. TSMC decided to promote the 3-nanometer process in the second half of this year as originally planned Mass production, but N3B was first introduced, and mass production was officially launched in the eighth new plant of the R&D center of the 12th plant in Hsinchu and the P5 plant of the Nanke 18B plant.

Among them, the P5 plant of Nanke Plant 18B is mainly used for the second-generation processors of Apple's next-generation tablet PCs and Macbook series notebook computers; the eighth new plant (P8) of the R&D Center of Hsinchu Plant No. 12 is for Intel. The foundry supports the supporting chips in the company's core processors.

This is the first time that TSMC has mass-produced the same process in the north and south. It is also the R&D center of TSMC, changing the new operation mode of only setting up trial production lines and mass production lines in the past.


After more than a year of hard work, TSMC's 3nm has recently achieved major breakthroughs in both N3B and N3E.  This is a schematic diagram.  Figure / United News Department information photo's 3nm has recently achieved major breakthroughs in both N3B and N3E.  This is a schematic diagram.  Figure / United News Department information photo


After more than a year of hard work, TSMC's 3nm has recently achieved major breakthroughs in both N3B and N3E. This is a schematic diagram. Figure / United News Department information photo

As for why the 3-nanometer mass production line was specially opened for Intel, the industry inferred that Intel's 3-nanometer process uses copper material made of copper, which is a pure copper target, which is difficult to produce. Therefore, the TSMC R&D Center is responsible for solving it and putting it into mass production. . However, TSMC does not make any comment on the process adopted by individual customers and the progress of mass production.

TSMC's supply chain revealed that currently, TSMC has initially planned the 3-nanometer production capacity of the Hsinchu R&D center, which is about 10,000 to 20,000 pieces per month. As for the fifth factory of Nanke 18B factory, it will set up a production capacity of about 15,000 pieces.

TSMC plans to introduce more cost-effective N3Es next year. It plans to directly double the monthly production capacity from 25,000 pieces at the end of this year to 50,000 pieces. Depending on the progress of the customer's introduction, it cannot be ruled out that it will be raised to a higher production capacity level. .

The industry also regards TSMC's 3nm as not only a decisive battle between TSMC and Samsung in the technical architecture, but also a showdown in the field of materials.

At present, TSMC has convened supply chain material related factories, including American Applied Materials, German Merck and local manufacturers Koyangke, Zhongsha, with material analysis factories Panquan, Hongkang, and chemical factories Guandong Xinlin, Shengyi, etc. Establishing a material supply network exclusively for TSMC, while Samsung's 3nm process is still immature, once again, with its leading edge in process and technology, Samsung has continued to seal Samsung at 3nm.

Thank you for the post. Did you use some sort of Chinese to English translation software?
 
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