[News] TSMC’s 3nm Capacity Hits 100,000 Wafers Next Year, Driven by New Projects

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According to a report by Taiwan’s Money DJ, there’s good news from TSMC regarding its 3nm node. Sources within the supply chain have disclosed that the number of new chip designs using the 3nm process, known as “New Tape-Outs” (NTOs), has surged. It’s confirmed that customers including MediaTek, AMD, NVIDIA, and Qualcomm will follow in Apple’s footsteps for mass adoption of the 3nm process in the next year (2024) and the subsequent year. By the second half of next year, the monthly production capacity for the 3nm family, including N3E, will increase from the current approximately 60,000 wafers to 100,000 wafers.

According to publicly available information from TSMC, the company began volume production of its first 3nm process node, N3, in the second half of last year. The enhanced version of the 3nm process, N3E, started production in the latter half of this year. There will also be extensions to the 3nm process, including N3P, N3S, and N3X. This year, Apple’s high-end A17 Pro chip for its iPhones was based on the initial N3 process.

Both TSMC and MediaTek previously announced their collaboration, with MediaTek developing new Dimensity products using TSMC’s 3nm process. The design phase, known as “Tape Out,” has been successfully completed, and mass production is scheduled for next year. Industry reports indicate that aside from Apple and MediaTek, AMD, NVIDIA, and Qualcomm are also confirmed to adopt the N3 family of processes. Intel is also on the list, with mass production planned for the year after next.

TSMC’s first-generation 3nm process currently has a monthly production capacity of about 60,000 wafers, serving Apple as its primary customer. TSMC has initiated a program known as “Continuous Improvement Plan” (CIP) for the 3nm process, referred to as N3B in the industry. Supply chain sources suggest that N3B’s capacity will be integrated into subsequent extended process nodes, such as N3E, which is expected to attract more customers. It is estimated that the overall 3nm monthly production capacity will reach 100,000 wafers by the second half of next year.

(Photo credit: TSMC)