TSMC Planning Advanced 3nm Chip Production at US Factory, Founder Says
Taiwan’s TSMC plans to produce chips with advanced 3-nanometer technology at its new factory in the US state of Arizona but the plans have not been fully finalized, the company’s founder Morris Chang said on Monday. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (TSMC), a major supplier to Apple and the world’s largest contract manufacturer, is building a $12 billion (approx. Rs. 98,200 crore) plant in Arizona.
Last year, Reuters reported on TSMC’s plans to build more chip factories in Arizona, including discussions about whether its next plant should be upgraded to make chips with 3-nanometer technology versus 3-nanometer chips. -5-nanometer are slow, inefficient. released when the facility began production.
Chang, speaking to reporters in Taipei after returning from the APEC summit in Thailand, said the 3-nanometer facility will be located in the same location in Arizona as the 5-nanometer facility.
“Three-nanometer, TSMC currently has a plan, but it’s not completely finalized,” said Chang, who has retired from TSMC but remains influential in the company and the broader chip industry.
“It’s almost finished – in the same place in Arizona, the second stage. Five nanometer is the first stage, 3-nanometer is the second stage.”
TSMC, Asia’s most valuable listed company, declined to comment.
The company held a “tool launch” event in Arizona on December 6.
Chang said he will be in attendance, along with TSMC customers and suppliers and US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. He added that US President Joe Biden has also been invited, but he did not know if he would attend.
Last month, TSMC reported) an 80 percent year-on-year increase in profits for the July-September 2022 period, the strongest growth in two years. However, TSMC has also reduced capital spending by at least 10 percent this year. TSMC, Asia’s most valuable listed company, said it was serious about planning investments for 2023, but still expected a “year of growth”.
© Thomson Reuters 2022
