Tech war: US, Taiwan, Japan gallop ahead in advanced semiconductors while China remains stuck at mature-node chips
- TSMC founder Morris Chang said this week that an expansion to the more advanced 3-nm process was planned for the company’s Arizona site
- China’s huge domestic market, especially lower-end segments served by legacy technology nodes, could provide a cushion for Chinese chip makers
The chip technology gap between China and the West is likely to further widen as the US, Taiwan and Japan forge ahead with leading-edge projects while mainland Chinese foundries remain stuck at mature nodes due to US export controls, according to analysts.
At home, TSMC’s next-generation 3-nm process is expected to begin mass production in Tainan, southern Taiwan, in the second half of this year.
TSMC is developing the more sophisticated 2-nm process in Hsinchu, where its headquarters are located, while early stated 1-nm development is focused on a facility in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan.
Separately, eight Japanese heavyweights including Toyota Motor, Sony Group and telecoms giant NTT have formed a consortium to undertake 2-nm chip fabrication within the next five years, according to a report by Japanese public broadcaster NHK.