May 16, 2025
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has announced its forthcoming 1.4nm process node, dubbed A14, slated for mass production in 2028. This development marks a significant leap in semiconductor technology, promising substantial enhancements in performance, power efficiency, and transistor density—key factors in advancing artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC) applications.
The A14 node is expected to deliver a 10–15% increase in performance at the same power consumption levels compared to its 2nm predecessor (N2). Alternatively, it offers a 25–30% reduction in power consumption while maintaining equivalent performance. Additionally, the logic density is projected to improve by approximately 20–23%, enabling more transistors to be packed into the same chip area.
A14 will utilize TSMC's second-generation Gate-All-Around Field-Effect Transistor (GAAFET) nanosheet technology, coupled with the new NanoFlex Pro standard cell architecture. This combination aims to enhance design flexibility and scalability, catering to the increasing demands of AI workloads and edge computing devices.
TSMC's A14 process is poised to support a wide range of applications, from data center GPUs to edge devices like smartphones, by providing the necessary computational power and energy efficiency. This positions TSMC to meet the growing requirements of AI inference workloads across various platforms.
Furthermore, TSMC's roadmap includes the development of advanced packaging technologies, such as System on Wafer-X, which can integrate multiple large-scale chips with memory and optical interconnects. This approach aims to facilitate higher performance and efficiency in AI applications.
While TSMC leads with its A14 node, competitors like Intel and Samsung are also advancing their semiconductor technologies. Intel's 18A (1.8nm) node is anticipated in 2025, with a 1.4nm process expected by 2028. Samsung targets its 1.4nm node for 2027, while Japan's Rapidus plans to produce 1.4nm chips by 2027 and 1nm by the 2030s.
TSMC's announcement of the A14 process node underscores its commitment to pushing the boundaries of semiconductor manufacturing. By delivering significant improvements in performance, power efficiency, and transistor density, A14 is set to play a crucial role in the evolution of AI and HPC technologies, maintaining TSMC's position at the forefront of the industry.
