TSMC wishes to sunset nodes older than 28nm

In quick: Bleeding-edge procedure nodes, which presently consist of 5nm and 3nm, tend to get all the buzz since they power the current and most effective items. Producers continue to utilize older, less thick nodes for other crucial chips. Taiwan-based TSMC desires its customers in those sectors to transfer to 28 nm nodes.

TSMC just recently suggested it will not grow producing capability for procedure nodes older than 28 nm. The business will need to encourage its customers that are still basing items on 40 nm or 65 nm to shift to the more costly 28 nm, which will be its main fully grown node moving forward.

Processors in the most recent PCs, video game consoles, and smart devices use the most recent, densest, and costliest nodes like 8nm and 7nm. Upcoming gadgets like AMD’s RDNA 3 GPUs will utilize 5nm, and TSMC is working on 3nm and 2nm for future items.

However, the chips in fairly low-power gadgets like screens, vehicle computer system systems, modems, microcontrollers, or management ICs use low-cost, trusted procedures like 28 nm, 40 nm, and 65 nm. Fully grown nodes form a considerable percentage of income for semiconductor business like TSMC.

The Taiwanese business is broadening capability for 22 nm and 28 nm nodes, however senior vice president of service advancement Kevin Zhang stated it isn’t doing so for 40 nm and older. Moving items to more recent nodes increases power and effectiveness, however why usage something more pricey when older nodes are excellent enough for specific customers’ requirements? Zhang stated TSMC would deal with other business to motivate the shift however didn’t define how.