2 nm process

In late 2018, TSMC chairman Mark Liu predicted chip scaling would continue to 3 nm and 2 nm nodes;[1] however, as of 2019, other semiconductor specialists were undecided as to whether nodes beyond 3 nm could become viable.[2]

TSMC began research on 2 nm in 2019.[3] TSMC expected to transition from FinFET to GAAFET transistor types when moving from 3nm to 2nm.[4] It has been reported that TSMC is expected to enter 2 nm risk production around 2023 or 2024.[5]

Intel's 2019 roadmap scheduled potentially equivalent 3nm and 2nm nodes for 2025 and 2027 respectively.[6] In December 2019, Intel announced plans for 1.4 nm production in 2029.[7]

In August 2020, TSMC began building a R&D lab for 2nm technology in Hsinchu, expected to become partially operational by 2021.[8] In September 2020 (SEMICOM Taiwan 2020) it was reported that TSMC Chairman Mark Liu had stated the company would build a plant for the 2nm node at Hsinchu in Taiwan, and that it could also install production at Taichung dependent on demand.[9]

At the end of 2020, seventeen of the European Union countries signed a joint declaration to develop their entire semiconductor industry, including developing process nodes as small as 2 nm as well as a designing and manufacturing custom processors, assigning up to 145 billion Euro in funds.[10][11]