Tuesday, June 9th 2020
TSMC Planning a 4nm Node that goes Live in 2023
TSMC is reportedly planning a stopgap between its 5 nm-class silicon fabrication nodes, and the 3 nm-class, called N4. According to the foundry's CEO, Liu Deyin, speaking at a shareholders meeting, N4 will be a 4 nm node, and an enhancement of N5P, the company's most advanced 5 nm-class node. N4 is slated for mass-production of contracted products in 2023, and could help TSMC's customers execute their product roadmaps of the time. From the looks of it, N4 is a repeat of the N6 story: a nodelet that's an enhancement of N7+, the company's most advanced 7 nm-class node that leverages EUV lithography.
Source:
DigiTimes
15 Comments on TSMC Planning a 4nm Node that goes Live in 2023
Its not like we're magically getting multiple shrinks when the current ones are still marketable. Come on
www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-set-to-become-TSMC-s-largest-2020-client.449040.0.html
Apple is just grabbing what they can and they also want to tell a cool story about shrinks make no mistake. They thrive on the impression of being 'ahead of the curve'. Never underestimate the power of perception... Inb4 the decimal nanometers :) Oh no, shit, didn't Intel already show us a roadmap slide for '1.4nm' ? To be achieved by ominous sounding 'new developments'... maybe they'll cut up a 14nm chip in 10 pieces.
AAPL perception has nothing to do with the reality of the situation. AAPL is the most valuable company in the US, and world over. That is not because they have pulled the wool over investor's eyes.
I will agree with you in regards to contesting die sizes, as each company has their own methodology for measuring distance (there is no world standard that I am aware of). However, AAPL along with all of the other large TSMC customer shares makes an insurmountable growth and investment strategy in comparison to Intel. Intel will go semi fabless soon in order to compete.
Something's gotta give, and usually a big part of that is hidden in marketing. For nanometers we already know that is the case. Why would 5nm be different? Even 7nm isn't true 7nm, and it certainly wasn't when they used DUV.
In the context of Apple and suppliers towards customers they're all playing the same ball game and want to come out winning. Why do you think wealth accumulates at some few % of the world? Its a big scratch your back and you scratch mine circus. The deals between TSMC and Apple are exactly that. Its not some weird conspiracy... its how the world works.
We regard node shrinks as progress towards some undisclosed higher goal. We view it as a pinnacle of our abilities and technology. It has immense marketing value and the vast majority has no idea what they're listening to. All they see is profit numbers and a shrink representing a bigger number.
A supply contract in a supply chain is just that. Whatever clause that is in place on each unit produced due to overall minimum volume is speculative, but there isn't a conspiracy involved and this really shouldn't need any explaining. The world is really getting out of hand with the conspiracy generation, and "in place" explanation when lack of knowledge or understanding is present to the person or entity (shall we say) deriving the conspiracy.
if 7nm really was 7nm as they claim Big Navi 505mm2 would be as big as small Navi10 - 251mm2.
But instead provides only 60% better density than 14nm. NAVI10 on 14nm would be 404mm2.
If you really want to make a proper and serious discussion - start discussing the ITRS Logic Device Ground Rules for each process node.
Here: page is 12 from 36 irds.ieee.org/images/files/pdf/2017/2017IRDS_MM.pdf
14 nm ... 5 nm ... oh there will be 7 nm stopgap, .... 5 nm .... 3 nm .... oh there will be a 4 nm stopgap, I think they have all this planed ahead and it's just so confusingly messaged to create drama, for the industry to play with prices between themselfs and the media enjoys it due to the fact there's more articles to write, but yeah, it's getting harder, but I also think they secretly have much more advanced processes they're not telling anyone, they want to suck this tech dry before they get anywhere near something completely new, that's the definition of the industry practice of cow milking, an incredibly predatory and disrespectful practice.