TSMC Leaps to 2nm Production, But at a Steep Cost: Silicon Wafers Soar to $30,000
The Evolution of Moore’s Law: A Brief Look at the Future of Chip Manufacturing
A Major Leap Forward: TSMC’s 2nm Process Node
The first iPhone was a game-changer in the tech world, running on an application processor containing approximately 70 million transistors and produced using a 65nm process node. Fast-forward to 2022, and Apple’s A18 Pro application processor inside the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max is now manufactured using TSMC’s second-generation 3nm process (N3E). With no official word on the transistor count for the new chipsets, it’s likely to surpass the 19 billion transistors found in the A17 Pro. The question is, how did we get here and what does the future hold?
A Timeline of Progress
* 2014: TSMC was charging clients $3,000 for wafers used to build its 28nm chips.
* 2022: The cost of a 2nm wafer is an astonishing $30,000, a significant increase over the $20,000 TSMC charged for 3nm production.
So, what’s driving this cost upsurge? The manufacturing process for 2nm chips requires more complex and precise procedures. Additionally, it’s estimated that a fab producing 50,000 wafers a month costs a staggering $28 billion.
Nanosheet Gate-All-Around (GAA) Transistors: The Future of Chip Performance
GAA transistors debut with TSMC’s 2nm process, replacing FinFET with improved current leakage reduction (10-15%), higher transistor density (15%), and reduced power consumption (25-30%). Moreover, backside power delivery (BPD) provides a 15-20% improvement in power usage by moving power connections to the back side of the chip.
TSMC’s 2nm Production Timeline
* Mass production of TSMC’s 2nm chips begins in the second half of 2025.
* Trial production has already commenced at TSMC’s Baoshan Plant in Hsinchu, Taiwan.
* Apple is reported to have reserved all 2nm production for their A20 Pro SoC.
As the tech landscape continues to evolve, so too do the manufacturing techniques used to produce the powerful processors that power our devices. With the advent of 2nm chip manufacturing, we can expect faster, more efficient, and more powerful devices in the years to come.
