Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) expects to start production at an industrial level of 7nm at the end of March,
ASML, which supplies EUV (extreme UV) lithography equipment, wants to supply 30 EUV systems in 2019. Of the sets to be dispatched, TSMC has already reserved 18 systems.
TSMC proceeds according to a 5nm test production schedule in the second quarter of 2019. TSMC 5nm technology fully integrates EUV.
TSMC CEO, CEO Wei, has previously revealed that the chip maker expects chips with technology to start production in the first half of 2019 and mass production is scheduled to begin in the first half of 2020.
Meanwhile, TSMC continues to expand its customers’ portfolio for 7nm technology. Wei noted that the portfolio of 7nm clients “grows stronger” from HPC and the automotive industry.
TSMC began production in April 2018 of 7nm chips for AMD, Apple, HiSilicon, and Xilinx. TSMC will soon increase overall sales of 7nm chips to 25% of total sales, compared with 9% in 2018.
TSMC is a real chip maker. Companies such as Qualcomm, Apple, Nvidia, Mediatek and 60 others do not have production factories.
