[News] TSMC A14 Validation Nears 90% of Target; Customer Interest Builds Ahead of 2028 Mass Production

TSMC held its second-quarter earnings conference on July 16, where Chairman and CEO C.C. Wei shared updates on the company’s advanced process roadmap. According to TechNews, A14 is scheduled to enter mass production in 2028, while A13 and A12 are both expected to reach mass production in 2029. Wei said the increasing complexity of advanced processes means that developing next-generation nodes such as A14, building capacity, and scaling to high-volume manufacturing now takes five to seven years, with no shortcuts available.

A14 represents TSMC’s second-generation nanosheet transistor technology. Compared with N2, A14 delivers a 10–15% performance improvement at the same power, reduces power consumption by 25–30% at the same performance, and increases logic density by nearly 20%. Development is progressing smoothly, with internal product validation showing transistor performance approaching 90% of target.

Wei said A14 has attracted strong customer interest from both the smartphone and HPC AI markets. As TechNews notes, A14 is expected to enter risk production in 2027 and mass production in 2028.

Positioned as an enhanced version of A14, A13 adopts an innovative 97% optical shrink technology that reduces die area by more than 6%. Through continued design-technology co-optimization (DTCO), A13 further improves performance and power efficiency. Wei added that A13 remains compatible with A14, allowing customers to migrate their IP seamlessly. Meanwhile, A12 integrates TSMC’s Super Power Rail technology, further enhancing performance and power efficiency, the report adds.

Tom’s Hardware previously noted that TSMC’s upcoming A13 and A12 process technologies, both targeted for 2029, are not expected to require High-NA EUV lithography tools. During the earnings call, C.C. Wei said High-NA EUV is a promising technology, but its maturity and cost remain important considerations for adoption.

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(Photo credit: TSMC)