TSMC is planning to develop 2nm process; Taipei greenlights project

The race to develop the most powerful chips is on, and TSMC, or Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., is about to throw its hat into the arena. Now the company is already one of the more prominent ones in the tech field, but it seems to want to solidify its position by developing a 2nm chip. The TSMC 2nm chip production will begin in a couple of years, and the company was just given the go signal by the Taiwanese government. By 2023, the chip will be ready for use for iPhone devices. If you’ve been following the news on these computer companies, you’d know that this is very likely a power move against Intel, which had recently released a statement saying that it would be able to match up to TSMC’s chip-making capabilities.

The 2nm chip will be two nanometers in size, a fantastic feat to accomplish considering that it would be the smallest chip in existence to date. The smaller a chip is, the harder it gets to fit in more transistors. However, TSMC is about to make it into a reality, and plans to develop the chip are underway.

Just recently, Taiwan’s Environmental Review Committee approved TSMC’s bid to start building their 2nm chip plant. They will begin constructing the plant in Baoshan in Hsinchu by 2022, and the company will be installing equipment for production in 2023. The Environmental Review Committee had to analyze the resources the plant would be using, and it found that the plant will be utilizing around 98,000 tons of water each day– which is half the amount TSMC had used back in 2020. This is in line with the company’s commitment to pursue more sustainable means in developing their products. For its Baoshan plant, TSMC committed to using 10% recycled water in their plants, with the promise to boost that number to 100% by 2030.

TSMC also has plans to build a plant in Arizona. The company plans to begin development and production in 2024, and its products will most likely be used for Apple devices. Apple has been able to cement its position as the leading mobile device provider. Years ago, Apple was working with both Samsung and TSMC to produce their chip designs. However, they have made the shift to TSMC, and the company has been producing Apple’s chip designs ever since.

Circling back to Intel, the company had acknowledged that it was lagging behind its competitors. TSMC and tech giant Samsung have both been making waves in the tech scene, while Intel hasn’t been as visible as it used to be. That’s why, over the last few years, Intel has been developing its chipmaking technologies to regain its lead. However, this announcement from TSMC may make things difficult for Intel.

Considering Apple’s prominence in the market and TSMC’s advancements in the chip-making field, it’s not a surprise that TSMC will be able to keep its lead over its competitors. Both Arizona and Baoshan plants may signal a new era for chip-making—one wherein TSMC stays supreme.

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