With the technology, the company’s monthly wafer output is estimated at 3,000-5,000 units at the 3 nm facility
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world’s largest chip manufacturer, has begun pilot production of 3-nanometer chips, and expects to be producing them in volume at the end of 2022, as per a DigiTimes report.
TSMC had begun the installation of the 3-nm chip manufacturing facilities in its Fab 18 located in Tainan, Taiwan earlier this year, as per media reports.
The most advanced chip production tech being used for consumer products today is TSMC’s 5-nm technology, which is used for all iPhone 12 processor chips. At present, only TSMC and Samsung Electronics are manufacturing 5-nm chips.
Currently, Apple uses TSMC’s 5nm processors for the M1 chips and it is expected that TSMC’s 3nm processors will power the next generation of Apple Silicon.
Compared with the 5nm process, the 3nm gate-all-around (GAA) node boosts performance by 30 per cent, lowers power consumption 50 per cent and takes up 35 per cent less space.
With the technology, the company’s monthly wafer output is estimated at 3,000-5,000 units at the 3 nm facility, as per reports.
TSMC has claimed its 3-nm technology will be the world’s most advanced technology, adding that the 3-nm technology can increase computing performance by 10 per cent to 15 per cent compared with 5-nm while reducing power consumption by 25 per cent to 30 per cent.
TSMC is also teaming up with Sony on its new $7 billion chip factory in Japan, the companies have announced jointly.
The new plant, as had been previously announced, will focus not on cutting edge chips but rather older 22nm and 28nm processes in an effort to meet supply shortfalls for older chips which has steadily impacted everything from cars to smartphones.
Chip-maker Intel is also apparently seeking to deepen its relationship with the world’s largest contract manufacturer for chips, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) to avoid possible clashes over TSMC’s 3nm chip production.
