At present, the world's most advanced chip process is 3nm, of which TSMC and Samsung have achieved mass production of 3nm chips, and Apple's A17Pro is the world's first mobile phone chip with 3nm chip process. However, getting into the 3nm process is not an easy task. It took about 3 years to move from the 5nm process to the 3nm process, and the R&D investment and equipment expenditure exceeded 30 billion US dollars. Due to the huge cost of process conversion, foundries must find ways to make enough profits or they will not be able to afford the huge investment. In this context, it is especially important to expand the 3nm process by introducing different versions of the 3nm process to meet diverse customer needs, produce more chips, and ultimately realize the cost**. Taking TSMC as an example, they plan to launch at least 5 versions on the 3nm process, with a total of 6 3nm chip processes, to meet the needs of different customers and achieve high profits.
Extension: The introduction mentions that in order to enter the 3nm process, foundries need to make enough money. This is because the process conversion process from 5nm to 3nm requires huge R&D investment and equipment expenditure, and foundries need to continuously upgrade and optimize processes to reduce costs, improve performance, and meet the needs of different customers. Only in this way can foundries be invincible in the fierce market competition.
TSMC's development plan for the 3nm process is very clear. First of all, they launched the N3 process, which is the first generation of 3nm chip process, which is the process used by Apple's A17Pro chip. This year, TSMC also launched the N3E process, which is equivalent to the first enhanced version of the N3, with a 5% increase in performance and the same transistor density. And in 2024, TSMC will launch the N3P process and the N3AE process. Compared with the N3 process, the N3P process has a 10% increase in performance, a 4% increase in transistor density, and a 5-10% reduction in power consumption. The N3AE process is specifically used for automotive chips. By 2025, TSMC will launch the N3X process, which will increase performance by 15%, increase transistor density by 4%, and maintain power consumption compared to the N3 process, which can be described as the highest performance 3nm process. Finally, in 2026, TSMC plans to launch the N3A process, which is a full-featured version of the N3AE automotive chip, which is more suitable for various automotive chip types. It can be seen that in order to fully tap the value of the 3nm process, TSMC has launched 6 different versions of the 3nm chip process to meet the diverse needs of the market in terms of performance, power consumption and transistor density.
Expansion: TSMC is committed to continuously promoting innovation and improvement in the chip manufacturing process. They have further strengthened their leadership position in the global foundry market by continuously improving their processes, improving chip performance and power consumption, and meeting the needs of different industries. In 2020, TSMC made a major breakthrough in the 3nm process, taking the lead in mass production, and has been widely recognized and appreciated by customers around the world.
The conversion of the 3nm process requires huge investment and change, and it is also a challenge that foundries have to face. Its high investment is mainly reflected in R&D expenses and equipment purchases, but also includes the optimization and upgrading of process flows. The cost is not only a monetary investment, but also requires a lot of energy and time from R&D personnel and engineers. In the process, foundries had to overcome many technical difficulties and process constraints, and to carry out continuous innovation and improvement. Only in this way can the transition to the 3nm process be smooth, achieving higher performance and lower power consumption.
In addition, 3nm process changes require foundries to adopt a variety of strategies to respond to the diversification of market demand. By launching different versions of the 3nm chip process, foundries are able to meet the needs of different customers and maintain a competitive edge in the market. Each version is optimized for different application scenarios, such as the N3E process for performance improvement, the N3P process for power consumption, and the N3AE process for the automotive sector. This diversified transformation can meet the different requirements of different industries and end devices for chip performance and power consumption, and further enhance the competitiveness of foundries in the market.
Expansion: The development of the 3nm chip process is the result of the foundry's continuous pursuit of innovation and advancement. This innovation is not only reflected in technology and processes, but also in the foundry's keen insight and flexible response to market needs. The launch of multiple versions of the 3nm chip process is a strategic adjustment made by foundries to meet the needs of different customers. This strategic adjustment can not only meet the diversified needs of the market, but also help foundries achieve better economic benefits, thereby promoting the progress and development of the entire chip industry.
Although the 3nm chip manufacturing process is constantly advancing and improving, from the overall trend, foundries are not in a hurry to promote further upgrades of the process. This is mainly due to the fact that each generation of process conversion requires a huge investment, and the cost increases dramatically. As a result, foundries need to carefully balance the return on investment with market demand when faced with process upgrades. In the current situation, foundries are more inclined to expand and optimize existing processes to maximize market demand and improve their competitiveness.
At the same time, the development of chip manufacturing processes will be more difficult and expensive in the future. Crossing 2nm into the 1nm process may take longer and require more investment. However, this does not mean that foundries are standing still, on the contrary, foundries need to continue to innovate in process technology to meet the growing market demand. Only by continuously improving performance, reducing power consumption, increasing transistor density, and realizing the full potential of each generation of chip manufacturing processes can foundries remain invincible in the fierce market competition.
On the other hand, the progress of the chip manufacturing process is also affected by many factors, such as technical bottlenecks, capital investment, market demand, etc. Only by striking a balance in these aspects can the sustainable development of the chip foundry industry be realized. In the future, foundries will need to be more agile and agile in responding to changes, seizing market opportunities, and keeping a close eye on emerging technology trends. At the same time, enterprises, academia and other parties should also strengthen cooperation to jointly promote the innovation and development of chip manufacturing processes and contribute to the prosperity of the global digital economy.
Summary: Upgrading the process from 5nm to 3nm is a daunting task that requires huge investment and continuous innovation for foundries to achieve. It is precisely because of the high investment cost that foundries will adopt a diversified strategy and launch different versions of the 3nm chip process to meet the market demand. This strategy also reflects the foundry's keen insight into the market and flexible response, which provides strong support for the foundry to maintain a competitive advantage in the fierce market competition. In the future, foundries need to continue to devote themselves to technological innovation and market adaptability to meet the challenges of process upgrades and promote the continuous progress and development of the chip industry. At the same time, all parties should work together to create a good environment and conditions for the sustainable development of the chip manufacturing process.