Faced with concerns about future geopolitical conflicts, TSMC and ASML said they could easily destroy advanced chip production lines remotely.
ASML is a Dutch company that specializes in providing chip manufacturing equipment based on the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography process to customers, including chip production lines of TSMC - the company that produces chips for Apple such as the chip line. A-series and M-series from Apple Silicon.
TSMC owns the most advanced equipment in the semiconductor industry.
TSMC owns the most advanced equipment in the semiconductor industry.
According to Bloomberg, in order to reassure the Dutch government, ASML has provided assurances about potential concerns related to the TSMC factory falling into the hands of an unwanted entity. specifically, ASML says it can remotely disable its machines in case such a threat emerges.
It is known that each of ASML's EUV machines is the size of a bus and is sold for 217 million USD. It is used to create chips with the smallest transistors available on the market. ASML used to be a supplier of EUV machines to customers in China, but bans from the US and Dutch governments forced the company to stop doing so.
However, ASML still hopes that one day this ban can be lifted when US-China trade cools down. China is one of ASML's major customers, accounting for 15% of the company's sales.
The US government is luring modern semiconductor companies to build factories in this country.
The US government is luring modern semiconductor companies to build factories in this country.
The problem is, the US has reasons to prevent China from accessing specialized machinery. President Joe Biden's administration is wanting to promote advanced chip manufacturing in the US to make this country a leader in advanced chip manufacturing. To entice chipmakers to invest in infrastructure, the US has provided various subsidies, including a $6.6 billion subsidy to TSMC in April to build its second chip fab. three in Arizona.
Plans to expand TSMC's facilities at Hsinchu Science Park are said to include the construction of 1.4nm chip factories by 2026, with mass production starting between 2027 and 2020. 2028.
In early June, the Taiwanese Government Cabinet approved TSMC's pilot plan to expand the area of Longtan Science Park in Longtan District, Taoyuan City (Taiwan) to use for production. new generations of chips. The Hsinchu Science Park Office stated that the expansion area in Longtan covering 158.59 hectares of land in Longtan will be used for R&D and mass production of chips of 2nm and below.
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Analysts estimate that once the development is complete, the new facilities will generate an annual output value of about $19.3 billion to $20.9 billion and provide about 5,900 job opportunities. Hsinchu Science Park Office general manager Wayne Wang said two public hearings will be held in July to gather opinions on the expansion plan in Longtan and the main planning and design The formula will begin at the end of the year.
Environmental impact assessment and urban planning will be completed and land supply for the construction of factories is estimated by 2026. TSMC CEO CC Wei said at the company's shareholder meeting on June 6 that TSMC's advanced manufacturing process originates from Taiwan and currently, mass production of 3nm chips at the Southern Taiwan Science Park is underway. The company said it will continue to strive to expand its production capacity.