TSMC sets early pace as Samsung, Intel, Rapidus chase 1nm milestone
The global semiconductor race is shifting into the 1-nanometer era, with industry leaders and new challengers accelerating efforts to secure the next frontier in chipmaking.
As Taiwan’s TSMC has set an early target for mass production in 2028, Japan’s Rapidus — a state-backed newcomer with no established presence in advanced foundry — is aiming for mass production of 1nm-class technology around 2029. Intel is also seeking to enter the 1nm race, targeting mass production of its 1.4nm node in 2028. Samsung Electronics, a distant No. 2 to TSMC, is taking a more measured approach, targeting around 2029 while focusing on stabilizing yields at its current leading-edge 2nm node.
According to industry sources on Wednesday, Rapidus plans to begin development of 1.4nm process technology in 2026, aiming for mass production around 2029. The timeline reflects the company’s ambition to narrow the technology gap with TSMC to about six months at the 1nm node, Chief Technology Officer Kazunari Ishimaru said.
Rapidus was founded in 2022 as a state-backed foundry project supported by companies including Toyota and Sony. The company is attempting to enter the advanced chip race from the cutting-edge, working with IBM on sub-2nm technologies.
TSMC is targeting mass production of its 1.4nm-class process node in the second half of 2028, with pilot production slated for 2027. The company is building a new fabrication plant at its Central Taiwan Science Park production plant, where it is expected to manufacture next-generation application processors for Apple’s iPhone with the 1.4nm technology.
Compared with its 2nm process, TSMC projects the 1.4nm node to deliver up to 15 percent higher performance at the same power level, or reduce power consumption by much as 30 percent at equivalent performance. Logic density is expected to improve by more than 20 percent, enabling more efficient AI accelerators and mobile chipsets, the company said.
For its 1.6nm node, TSMC plans to begin mass production in the second half of 2026, with a commercial rollout in 2027. Nvidia is expected to be the first adopter, with its next-generation Feynman chip set for launch in 2028.
Samsung Electronics has also outlined a road map to introduce its 1.4nm process node around 2029, with plans to advance to 1nm technology by 2030.
At the 1nm technology, the chipmaker is expected to adopt a new transistor structure known as "fork sheet," which enables tighter packing of transistors to improve power efficiency and density. TSMC is also understood to be considering forksheet technology in its post-2030 road map.
For now, Samsung is concentrating on stabilizing the yield for its 2nm process node, where it remains one of only two players globally alongside TSMC. While TSMC has secured the bulk of early 2nm orders, Samsung has reportedly achieved yields of around 60 percent, as it works to build production credibility.
"Samsung’s top priority for its foundry business is to reduce losses," an industry official said. "That means raising utilization at legacy nodes while ensuring stable yields at 2nm, where demand from big tech clients is strong."
TSMC held about 72 percent of the global foundry market in the fourth quarter of last year, compared with Samsung’s 7 percent according to Counterpoint Research.
For Samsung, whether new entrants such as Rapidus and Intel can emerge as viable challengers in the under-2nm race remains uncertain. Industry watchers say that even if Rapidus succeeds in developing 1nm-class technology ahead of Samsung, building a mass production system comparable to TSMC and Samsung would be a far greater hurdle.
herim@heraldcorp.com
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