The two engraving frenemies are redoubling their efforts to win over new partners.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, better known as TSMC, is the world's leading electronics foundry. It is also ahead of its main competitors in this field - Intel and Samsung - with significant progress in 2 nm. This etching process is currently the most modern, but it has not yet entered the production stage, although TSMC is getting very close. Last April, the Taiwanese company had already stated that it would start the test phase before the end of the year. It has kept its word, with production reaching a higher yield than expected: 60% according to its own figures.
TSMC wafers, but in 3 nm © TSMC
Since then, things seem to have progressed even further, and 2 nm has entered production at two of the group's main Taiwanese sites, Baoshan and Kaohsiung. According to the latest information relayed by Wccftech, production is rising steadily to the point of reaching 50,000 wafers per month by the end of 2025, and some rumours even point to 80,000 wafers per month.
For its part, Intel is seeking to prove that it can return to the forefront. Intel Foundry has experienced undeniable technical problems, and the challenge is to reassure. This is undoubtedly why Intel is not hesitating to be very enterprising, stating that " the Intel 18A is now ready ". An assertion published on the group's official website, but which is quickly supplemented by a more tempered " Intel 18A is now ready for customer projects with tape releases starting in the first half of 2025 ". In other words, Intel's progress is real and the 18A could be its salvation, but when it comes to production, the main point is that it is now accepting orders from its main customers... and all those who would like to become them!
