Although the iPhone 17 series has not been released yet, rumors about the iPhone 19 generation chip have been released, making iFans extremely excited.
Before foundries could start manufacturing chips using process nodes below 7nm, extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography had to be invented. This machine etches circuit patterns thinner than a human hair onto silicon wafers, allowing billions of transistors to be packed into a single chip. For example, each A17 Pro application processor inside the iPhone 15 Pro models packs 19 billion transistors.
The world's largest chip foundry, TSMC.
The lower the process node, the smaller the transistors used on the chip, meaning a higher transistor count can be achieved. Generally, the higher the transistor count, the more powerful and energy efficient the chip.
Dutch company ASML, which specializes in EUV machines, has been promoting and selling its next-generation equipment: a high-NA EUV machine. Thanks to the increase in numerical aperture from .33 to .55, this machine will be used to produce chips using a process node of 2nm or less.
Earlier this year, a video showed the first high-NA EUV machine being installed by Intel, which was the first chipmaker to buy the $400 million machine.
Now, the world's largest chip foundry - TSMC is expected to install its first high-NA EUV machine at its Hsinchu R&D center later this year. According to sources, the company plans to maintain its title as the world's largest contract chip foundry by continuing to lead in technology.
TSMC's roadmap for applying chip manufacturing technology.
Additionally, TSMC says its 1.6nm node is on track to begin mass production in 2026 and will begin using high-NA EUV machines to produce chips at its 1.4nm process in 2027. TSMC's 2nm node (N2, N2P, N2X) and 1.6nm nodes will use Gate-All-Around transistors with horizontally aligned nanosheets, placed vertically, allowing the gate to cover the channel on all four sides. This reduces current leakage, improves drive current, and delivers higher performance with improved power efficiency.
According to this roadmap, in 2027, TSMC will produce chips with A16 nodes using the BSPDN - backside power delivery network (backside power delivery network) to move the wires and connections that supply power to the chip from the front of the chip to the back, helping to improve performance.
And if Apple continues to "shake hands" with TSMC, this node process will be applied to the 2019 iPhone line - iPhone 19 Series, expected to bring impressive performance.
