TSMC's Luo Zhenqiu: 3nm performance is 10-15% higher than 5nm, and will enter mass production in 2022

The 2020 World Semiconductor Conference was successfully held in Nanjing. Luo Zhenqiu, general manager of TSMC (Nanjing) Co., Ltd., delivered a speech on the theme of "Frontier Technology, Green Industry" at the summit forum.

Luo Zhenqiu said that TSMC's R&D investment this year will exceed US$3 billion. 7nm is currently in its third year of mass production, with more than 140 products currently in mass production, and more than 200 by the end of this year. TSMC will continue to invest in optimizing 7nm+, 6nm, and 7nm as advanced processes at the same node. So far, TSMC has provided more than 1 billion chips to the world, including communications, networks, CPUs, GPUs, and AI. In addition, TSMC's 5nm process has entered mass production. Like the 7nm node, the 5nm node also has 5nm+ and 4nm processes.

Luo Zhenqiu revealed that the 5nm yield rate is better than that of 7nm, and the 4nm process with increasing area and power consumption will become the next generation technology of the 5nm node. 4nm will start mass production next year. In addition, the performance of 3nm is improved by 10-15% compared with 5nm, and the power consumption will be reduced by 25-30% at the same performance, and the area is 1/1.7 of the original. In 2021, 3nm products will appear on the market and will enter mass production in 2022.

In addition to advanced processes, special processes are also important technologies that TSMC continues to advance. TSMC has the industry's most advanced wafer-level 3DIC technology, from wafer stacking to advanced packaging, to help customers achieve more efficient system integration. Through continuous innovation cooperation with partners, TSMC has integrated 3DIC platforms such as SoIC, InFO, and CoWoS to launch "TSMC 3DFabric", continuing to provide the industry's most complete and versatile solutions, integrating logic chiplets, high-bandwidth memory, and special process chips to achieve more innovative product designs.

While TSMC continues to advance technological evolution, it also pays equal attention to society and green manufacturing.

Luo Zhenqiu said that in order to improve society, we must do a good job in green manufacturing, the supply chain must be responsible and complete, and the company must create an equal and non-discriminatory working environment for employees. In addition, TSMC also attaches importance to talent cultivation and care for the disadvantaged groups in society.

Luo Zhenqiu pointed out that green manufacturing should focus on the following aspects: less energy consumption, low greenhouse gas emissions, less water resource utilization, and gradually reduce waste treatment and quantity. This is also the goal that TSMC continues to work hard for. Compared with advanced factories around the world, TSMC is ahead of the United States and South Korea in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, water resources, and waste emissions per unit area.

Finally, Luo Zhenqiu concluded that advanced semiconductor processes need to be continuously advanced, but special processes are also important. TSMC will use advanced packaging to provide customers with system-level products. Green manufacturing is TSMC's permanent mission and will continue to be promoted through innovative measures.