TSMC, in collaboration with HiSilicon Technologies Co, Ltd., has produced the foundry segment's first fully functional ARM-based networking processor with 16FinFET technology. TSMC's 16FinFET process promises impressive speed and power improvements as well as leakage reduction. All of these advantages overcome challenges that have become critical barriers to further scaling of advanced SoC technology. It has twice the gate density of TSMC's 28HPM process, and operates more than 40% faster at the same total power, or reduces total power over 60% at the same speed.

TSMC says that its 16FinFET has entered risk production with excellent yields after completing all reliability qualifications in November 2013. This paves the way for TSMC and customers to engage in more future product tape-outs, pilot activities and early sampling.

Built on TSMC's 16FinFET process, HiSilicon's new processor enables a significant leap in performance and power optimization supporting high-end networking applications. By leveraging TSMC's heterogeneous CoWoS (Chip-on-Wafer-on-Substrate) 3D IC packaging process, HiSilicon integrates its 16-nanometer logic chips with a 28-nanometer I/O chip.