TSMC Unveils 2nm Process: Significant Efficiency and Performance Improvements | Hardware computer list | Computer hardware components and their functions | Hardware definition and examples | Turtles AI

TSMC has unveiled details of its innovative 2nm technology, called “N2 Nanosheet,” which marks a major breakthrough in performance, energy efficiency, and transistor density. Mass production is planned for the second half of 2025.

Key points:

• Improved performance by 15% and reduced power consumption by up to 30%.
• N2 GAA Nanosheet transistors that optimize current control.
• Transistor density increased by 1.15 times using N2 NanoFlex.
• Wafer costs up to 50 percent higher than the 3nm process.

TSMC, the world’s leading semiconductor manufacturer, unveiled new details about its innovative 2nm process technology at the IEEE International Electron Device Meeting (IEDM) in San Francisco, emphasizing the incredible advances this solution brings to the industry. At the heart of this innovation are N2 “nanosheet” transistors based on the Gate-All-Around (GAA) architecture, which replace traditional FinFET technology, offering more accurate control over current handling. The nanosheets, composed of extremely thin layers of silicon surrounded by gates on all sides, enable manufacturers to optimize performance based on different application scenarios, providing unprecedented efficiency. Thanks to this advanced design, the N2 process ensures a 15 percent performance increase over the previous generation, with a simultaneous decrease in power consumption of up to 30 percent, a key parameter in improving the overall efficiency of devices. The implementation of N2 NanoFlex technology also allows more logic cells to be compressed into a smaller area, increasing transistor density by 15 percent and enabling manufacturers to make maximum use of the available surface area to improve chip capabilities. This combination of performance, efficiency and density makes the solution particularly attractive to leading companies such as Apple and NVIDIA, which rely on the technological edge to gain competitive advantages. However, generational improvements come with an inevitable cost increase: it is estimated that the price of a single 2nm wafer could range between $25,000 and $30,000, a significant increase from about $20,000 for 3nm wafers. This increase is related not only to the complexity of the process, but also to the low initial yield rates typical of the early stages of manufacturing. The transition to 2nm, therefore, will be gradual and subject to initial capacity constraints, while representing an important milestone in semiconductor technology evolution.

The innovation introduced by TSMC with its N2 technology lays the foundation for a new era of performance and efficiency, rewriting the rules of the industry.