TSMC to boost 5nm chip output in 2H21
TSMC is expected to substantially scale up its 5nm chip output in the second half of 2021 in order to boost 5nm chip sales as a proportion of its total wafer revenue to 20% by the end of the year, market watchers believe.
TSMC saw sales generated from 5nm process technology account for 14% of its total wafer revenue in the second quarter. The proportion will top 20% by the end of this year, the pure-play foundry said at its April 15 earnings conference call.
TSMC's N5 is already in the second year of volume production, said company CEO CC Wei. The foundry will also roll out N4 (namely 4nm process technology), an extension of its 5nm process family, in the second half of this year with volume production set to kick off in 2022, according to Wei.
TSMC will see sales of its 5nm process family consisting of N4 continue to grow in the next several years, driven by robust demand for smartphone and HPC applications, Wei noted.
TSMC's 3nm process technology will be another full node stride from its 5nm process, with risk production scheduled for later this year followed by volume production in the second half of 2022, Wei disclosed. "Our N3 technology development is on track with good progress," Wei added.
Both 5nm and 3nm will be large and long-lasting nodes for TSMC, Wei said.
During the earnings call, TSMC also revised upward its revenue growth outlook for 2021 to 20% from the previously-estimated 15%, and raised its capex target this year to US$30 billion.
