Mass production of the first 5 nm products on the TSMC production line has already been mastered.
Although the company’s employees have not disclosed the names of their customers, Apple’s and HiSilicon’s 5nm mobile processors have long been in the news. At the quarterly event, TSMC provided a detailed status of the development of 5nm technology.
However, it is necessary to start with a description of the situation with the 7nm process technology. It has already entered the third year of its life cycle, and the second generation of 7-nm products using elements for ultra-hard ultraviolet (EUV) lithography marks the second year of its presence on the TSMC substrate.
AMD’s core processors, which use exactly the second generation of 7-nm TSMC technology, are expected to be launched this fall.
By the end of this year, TSMC will begin mass production of products using the so-called 6-nm process technology. It will ensure compatibility with 7-nm technology in terms of design parameters, making migration easier for customers, but also allowing more active use of EUV lithography. By the end of this year, TSMC expects to receive at least 30% of revenues from the sale of products belonging to the 7 nm family.
Mass production of 5nm products has already begun and TSMC is very pleased with the performance level of the products, which is improving ahead of the original schedule. Within the 5 nm technology, the use of EUV lithography is being expanded.
The density of the transistors will be increased by 80% compared to 7 nm process technology and their speed will be increased by 20%. The expansion of the 5 nm process technology in the second half of the year will be fast and smooth, as expected at TSMC. This year the 5nm technology will be used for the production of mobile components and high-performance processors.
At this stage, the number of products using 5 nm process technology is higher than at the comparable development stage of 7 nm process technology. TSMC explains this by the fact that a more complex process requires early interaction with customers.
The company believes that the 5 nm process technology will be in demand and durable in terms of life cycle length. Next year, manufacturers of automotive electronics and Internet of Things products are ready to take an interest in 5 nm process technology. TSMC is also satisfied with the current cost characteristics of 5 nm products, which will help to expand the customer base.