TSMC "Building 2nm Foundry"... Semiconductor Technology Competition Intensifies

[Asia Economy Reporter Changhwan Lee] TSMC, the world's No. 1 foundry (semiconductor contract manufacturing) company from Taiwan, has officially announced the construction of a new 2-nanometer (nm) process factory.

According to foreign media on the 26th, TSMC stated at a technology forum the day before that it is undergoing related procedures to secure a site for building a 2nm factory in the Hsinchu area of Taiwan.

TSMC is reported to first start operating a 2nm research and development (R&D) center in Hsinchu in 2021, then establish the related production line on a nearby site.

Japan's Nihon Keizai Shimbun projected that approximately 2 trillion yen (about 22 trillion KRW) will be invested in the TSMC 2nm factory, with mass production expected to be possible in 2024.

With TSMC holding over 50% market share in the foundry market, the technology competition in the foundry sector is expected to become even more intense following the 2nm mass production plan.

Samsung Electronics, ranked second, has not yet announced a 2nm process roadmap, but the industry views 2022 as the mass production timeline for 3nm.

According to market research firm TrendForce, Samsung Electronics' market share in the global foundry market is expected to reach 17.4% in the third quarter of this year, which is still significantly lower than TSMC's projected share of 53.9%.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.