TSMC announces 6nm process with euv

TSMC will offer a 6nm process using euv. It is an improvement of the existing 7nm process with euv. Test production should start at the beginning of 2020. Samsung also announced a 6nm process on Tuesday.

According to TSMC, the density of the 6nm process is 18 percent higher than the regular 7nm process without EUV. Chip designs that can now be made on that 7nm process can easily be transferred to the new 6nm node, says the Taiwanese chip manufacturer.

TSMC has been working on a 5nm process for some time and has already started test production. Mass production at 5nm with euv will start in 2020. The new 6nm process must become a cheaper alternative and will therefore only be launched later.

It is not known how many layers of EUV TSMC uses in its new 6nm process. TSMC will use fourteen euv layers in the 5nm process. Samsung also announced on Tuesday that it is ready for test production on 5nm and reported that a 6nm process will also be introduced.