TSMC: 5nm on Track for Q2 2020 HVM, Will Ramp Faster Than 7nm
by Anton Shilov on October 23, 2019 10:00 AM ESTTSMC’s 5 nm (N5) manufacturing technology is projected to provide significant benefits when it comes to performance, power, and area scaling, which is why the contract maker of semiconductors expects a tangible number of its customers to adopt this process. And, with a forecast for aggressive demand paired with some early preparation in installing new equipment, TSMC believes that its N5 technology will ramp even quicker than its 7 nm (N7) process.
In a bid to boost its production capacities, TSMC recently increased its capital expenditures for 2019 from $10 billion - $11 billion to $14 billion - $15 billion. TSMC is particularly invested in buying equipment for its cutting-edge nodes, such as ASML’s Twinscan NXE step-and-scan systems for processes that use extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) for select layers. At present, TSMC’s Fab 15 is making SoCs using N7+, whereas its Fab 18 (the first phase of equipment move-in was completed in March 2019) is on-track to produce N5 chips in high volume starting Q2 2020.
The new tools that will be bought in the coming months are expected to be installed in 2020 and this is when the company will be able to quickly ramp production of chips using its N7, N7+, N7P, N6, N5, and N5P process technologies. The company is confident that it will have a very high market share with its 5 nm nodes.
C.C. Wei, vice chairman and CEO of TSMC, said the following:
First, the 5 nm ramp for next year. Certainly, as compared with six months ago, we are right now more aggressive and more optimistic about it. Hopefully, because we spend big money [...] that it will ramp up much in terms of revenue, be much faster than 7 nm. […] With that money, we spend to buy the tools to prepare everything. We do expect that our growth will go beyond 5% to 10%.
The key difference between N5 and its predecessors that use EUVL is that it is designed to use EUVL on up to 14 layers (up from four and five in case of N7+ and N6). So the ramp of N5 will increase usage of the latest equipment, and to some degree will demonstrate whether EUV tools and ecosystem is ready for prime time or not. Right now, TSMC seems to be very optimistic about EUVL. The light sources it uses offer output power of more than 250 Watts and reach target goals for availability. The company also produces its own pellicles and takes into account characteristics of currently available photoresists.
Mr. Wei said the following:
“We produce our own pellicle. We have a large number of masking capacity and everything. So even photoresist, those kind of things, we have been taking into account. We are in a high-volume production [with] EUV lithography technology. For next year, you have big — even higher volume, and I can assure you that we are all prepared.”
Related Reading:
- TSMC’s 5nm EUV Making Progress: PDK, DRM, EDA Tools, 3rd Party IP Ready
- TSMC: First 7nm EUV Chips Taped Out, 5nm Risk Production in Q2 2019
- TSMC Radically Boosts CapEx to Expand Production Capacities, To Reach $14B For 2019
- TSMC Announces Performance-Enhanced 7nm & 5nm Process Technologies
Source: TSMC
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Gemuk - Wednesday, October 23, 2019 - link
>Q2 2020So not in time for Apple A14, I assume? Perhaps the flagship Kirin could scrape by, just like this year?
Gondalf - Wednesday, October 23, 2019 - link
Apple will go to 7nm+. 5nm is a lot rushed for marketings.yu - Wednesday, October 23, 2019 - link
Unfortunately in many cases marketing outweighs the product.RSAUser - Friday, October 25, 2019 - link
Wasn't 5nm the direct successor with 7nm+ requiring major changes for compatibility?dudedud - Saturday, October 26, 2019 - link
I think its actually 6nm, then 5nm7nm EUV is not worth it.
hoodlum90 - Wednesday, October 23, 2019 - link
TMSC has already starting sampling the A14 based on 5nm to Apple. We will definitely see 5nm used in next year's iPhone.ph00ny - Wednesday, October 23, 2019 - link
All speculation at this point. Yield rate matters heavily specially for a bulk order such as iphoneGondalf - Wednesday, October 23, 2019 - link
Ummm a good marketing post from TSMC. It will be a very limited production, mainly because right now EUV pellicles are not available yet, the best availability date is beginning 2021. Moreover 7nm+ looks like a dead duck, the yields are very low cause absence of pellicles in the wafer processing.A lot of marketing.
FireSnake - Wednesday, October 23, 2019 - link
Your source being?Korguz - Thursday, October 24, 2019 - link
i would guess, himself. as its a made up reply.so no source... and no proof of what he said