TSMC "US Arizona Factory Construction Begins"... Planned Completion in 2024

"Arizona Factory Plans 5nm Semiconductor Production"
3nm Semiconductors to Begin Mass Production in Taiwan from Second Half of Next Year

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Taiwan's TSMC, the world's largest semiconductor foundry, announced that construction has begun on the semiconductor plant in Arizona, USA, which it had previously promised to establish to the US government. The plant is scheduled to be completed in 2024 and will produce 5-nanometer class semiconductors, TSMC stated.

According to foreign media including Apple Insider on the 2nd (local time), TSMC CEO Wei Zhejia said at the TSMC Technology Symposium held online that "The construction of the Arizona plant in the US is proceeding as planned, and semiconductors using TSMC's 5-nanometer production technology are scheduled to be mass-produced starting in 2024." Previously, TSMC announced that it would invest about $100 billion (approximately 111.3 trillion KRW) in Arizona, USA, to build up to six factories over the next 10 to 15 years.

CEO Wei explained, "Of the $100 billion to be invested over the next three years, about $30 billion will be invested this year alone," adding, "We will develop 5-nanometer semiconductor processes to be used by automakers applying advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI)." Earlier, the US Biden administration announced plans to spend $54 billion to secure the semiconductor supply chain domestically.

The plant is estimated to produce about 20,000 12-inch wafers of 5-nanometer semiconductors per month, but it is expected to have limited impact on alleviating the current severe shortage of automotive semiconductors in the US. According to major foreign media, automotive semiconductors suffering from supply shortages in the US use low-cost 20-nanometer class semiconductors rather than precision semiconductors below 7 nanometers, so 5-nanometer semiconductors are unlikely to solve the automotive semiconductor shortage problem.

TSMC's next-generation flagship 3-nanometer semiconductors are scheduled to be launched from its Taiwan factory in the second half of next year. CEO Wei added, "TSMC's next-generation 3-nanometer semiconductor technology will be mass-produced starting in the second half of next year at the 'Fab 18' plant located in Tainan, Taiwan."

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