Nvidia, TSMC, Synopsys and ASML have agreed to cooperate for the development of 2 nm chip technology.
www.businesskorea.co.kr/, Mar. 27, 2023 –
Taiwan's TSMC is speeding up the development of 2 nm or more advanced technology for a state-of-the-art foundry process in tandem with Nvidia, Synopsys, and ASML, according to foreign media outlets on March 25. These companies decided to strengthen cooperation in the field of lithography, which is the process of engraving circuit patterns on silicon wafers.
U.S.-based Synopsis will support the project by providing software programs as an electronic design automation (EDA) company. Netherlands-based ASML will be in charge of manufacturing and supplying extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment priced between 300 and 500 billion won (US$230 to 385 million).
In particular, technology to be provided by Nvidia, a GPU chip design company, is drawing much attention. It is evaluated that Nvidia's accelerated computing technology is vital to TSMC's 2 nm technology development. On March 21 (local time), Nvidia announced on its homepage the news of supporting 2 nm technology development while working with TSMC, ASML, and Synopsys. A library technology called "cuLitho" can implement related work with up to 40 times better performance than those of conventional lithography technology, Nvidia explained.
"Semiconductor lithography technology has physically reached its limits," said Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. "This partnership will enable semiconductor manufacturing plants (fabs) to increase production while reducing carbon emissions. At the same time, it will lay the groundwork for developing 2 nm or smaller advanced technology."