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Photo courtesy of Yonhap News |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world’s largest contract chipmaker, has initiated preparatory work to build its first 1.4-nanometer (nm) semiconductor fabrication plant, marking a major step in the next generation of advanced chip production.
According to Taiwanese media including Liberty Times and United Daily News on July 21, Taiwan’s National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) announced at the 22nd anniversary ceremony of the Central Taiwan Science Park on July 18 that it had formally allocated land for TSMC’s 1.4nm plant.
Hsu Mao-Hsün, Director-General of the Central Taiwan Science Park Administration, stated that the second-phase expansion of the Taichung campus has been completed, and the land has been officially handed over to TSMC for the construction of its most advanced semiconductor process to date. The administration is currently working on infrastructure developments such as electricity and supporting facilities to prepare for the plant’s groundbreaking in Q4 2025.
The term “nanometer” refers to the width of transistor gates on a chip—smaller dimensions enable faster processing and lower power consumption. The current leading-edge process is 3nm, which is being mass-produced by both TSMC and Samsung Electronics.
According to sources, TSMC plans to break ground on four fabrication facilities (fabs) within its planned Fab 25 complex by the end of this year, with each dedicated to 1.4nm production and an expected construction period of two years.
The first of these, known as P1, is scheduled to complete its tape-out phase (the final stage before mass production) by the end of 2027, with volume production of up to 50,000 wafers per month slated to begin in the second half of 2028.
Meanwhile, TSMC’s 2nm process is expected to enter mass production later this year. By 2027, it is projected to become the company’s largest node among advanced processes at 7nm and below, ahead of the 1.4nm ramp.
AlphaBIZ Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
