TSMC Fast-Tracking 1.4nm (A14) Process with $49 Bn Investment at 'Fab 25' Plant
While expecting mass production of the 2nm process late by 2025, TSMC has started speeding up its next-generation plans for the A14, or 1.4nm technology. Apparently, this means that the company is going with a quicker construction program of a new building with an initial investment that might even reach nearly $49 billion (NT$1.5 trillion).
'Fab 25' Center of 1.4nm Manufacturing
According to the Economic News Daily, the new facility will be dubbed 'Fab 25' and will be located at the Central Taiwan Science Park nearby Taichung City. Some of the facility-related key points include:
- Facility Configuration: 'Fab 25' will consist of four separate processing plants.
- Trial Production Schedule: The first plant aims to start trial production of 1.4nm technology by the end of 2027.
- Supplier Alert: TSMC has reportedly already informed its suppliers of the accelerated timeline to guarantee equipment readiness.
Full Production Schedule and Performance Goals
As per the current timeline, TSMC could begin running under full-scale production of 1.4nm in the second half of 2028. The A14 process is expected to give huge improvements over the previous nodes, supposedly 15% improved performance and 30% power savings. The remaining three plants in Fab 25 will also be engaged in 1.4nm production. The report mentions that TSMC is already planning technology for an even more advanced 1nm process though the timeline for this technology has not been delved into.
The High Cost of Cutting-edge Technology
It is expected that the advanced 1.4nm process will come at a considerably high price tag for customers. The soon-to-be-operational 2nm process node is estimated to cost about $30,000 per wafer; however, current estimates state that the company's clients would have to shell out around $45,000 per wafer for the 1.4nm (A14) technology. There would still be ample time to discuss these plans as the time progresses.
