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[News] TSMC Accelerates Deployment of 1nm Process, New Fab Likely to Settle in Southern Taiwan


2024-01-22 Semiconductors editor

TSMC’s trillion-dollar investment plan for a 1nm fab is reportedly set to be established in the science park in Taibao City, Chiayi County, Taiwan. This follows TSMC’s recent announcement of the construction of its third 2nm fab in Kaohsiung, marking yet another strategic choice for advanced processes in southern Taiwan.

According to UDN’s report citing sources, TSMC has submitted a request for 100 hectares (roughly 247.10 acres) of land to the Southern Taiwan Science Park Administration, which oversees the Chiayi Science Park. Of this, 40 hectares (roughly 98.84 acres) are designated for an advanced packaging facility, while the remaining 60 hectares (roughly 148.26 Acres) are earmarked for the construction of a 1nm fab.

As TSMC’s land requirements exceed the initially planned 88 hectares (roughly 217.45 acres) in the first phase of the Chiayi Science Park, there are expectations for an accelerated expansion in the second phase to accommodate TSMC’s needs.

TSMC stated that the selection of the fab site involves various considerations. TSMC considers Taiwan as its primary base but does not rule out any possibilities, and continues to collaborate with the administration to assess suitable semiconductor fab sites. TSMC emphasized that all information should be primarily referred to the company’s official announcements.

As understood, the TSMC fab construction team conducted a site survey in the Chiayi Science Park in August of 2023, before it was incorporated into the jurisdiction of the Southern Taiwan Science Park Administration.

This move came after facing strong opposition during the third-phase expansion in the Longtan Science Park in Taoyuan. Following the intense protests, the TSMC construction team initiated a contingency plan and ultimately decided to abandon the construction project within the Longtan Science Park’s third-phase expansion.

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(Photo credit: TSMC)

Please note that this article cites information from UDN