TSMC will offer only 20-nm node process

Published:2012/4/19 3:17:00 Author:Ecco From:SeekIC

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TSMC) will offer only one process at the 20-nm node. That will be a change from the multiple processes that the foundry giant has offered customers for the past several nodes.

Shang-yi Chiang is the executive vice president and co-chief operating officer at TSMC. He said the firm might also offer an 18- or 16-nm process node after 20-nm if lithography technology is not available to make 14-nm devices cost effectively. Chiang also said the TSMC initially planned to offer two 20-nm processes which might be a high performance process and a low-power process. Both processes would be characterized by high-k metal gate (HKMG) technology and FinFET 3-D transistors.

However, TSMC found that there was not a noticeable performance difference between the two 20-nm processes after some development. Because 20-nm linewidths are so small, approaching fundamental physical limits, and there isn’t much room for tweaking design rules to specify different gate lengths and other requirements.

TSMC expects its 20-nm HKMG process to be in production next year. In 2015, TSMC wants to commence production at the 14-nm node. But the semiconductor industry is waiting on extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, which has been delayed several times.

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