Race For 1.4-Nanometer Chip Heats Up As Intel Unveils Technology Roadmap To Regain Chipmaking Crown From TSMC, Samsung

In a renewed bid to regain semiconductor chip manufacturing leadership it lost to Asia-based rivals Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co( TSMC) and Samsung, Intel on Wednesday (Feb 21) unveiled a new technology roadmap, including the addition of 14A as the chip behemoth's leading-edge node plan.

"Today we are announcing Intel 14A for the first time," Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger said during the company's first Foundry event, Intel Foundry Direct Connect. "You can think about this for 1.4 nanometer technology."

The news of 14A is the first time that Intel has provided details of its roadmap beyond 2025. 

Besides its plan for 14A, the technology roadmap includes evolutions for Intel 3 and Intel 18A. It includes Intel 3-T, optimized with through-silicon vias for 3D advanced packaging designs and will soon reach manufacturing readiness. 

Intel is promoting its next-generation 18A technology node( its 1.8nm chipmaking technology) to chip design firms. Intel has also said that it plans to begin production of 18A in late 2024. Intel aims to reclaim its technology leadership in 2025 with 18A. 

Intel also said it will begin productionising the newly unveiled 14A node around 2027.

However, TSMC, the world's largest contract chipmaker, is confident that it would fend off competition from Intel.

TSM has already confirmed that it will begin volume production of 2 nm chips by 2025 as the company plans to beat competitors to be the first to deploy the advanced technology.

TSMC also says that its 2nm technology will be the most advanced when it is introduced in 2025.

In May 2023, TSMC showcased its latest technology advances, including progress in 2nm technology and enhanced versions of 3nm chip manufacturing process nodes, including N3P, N3X, and N3AE. 

The 2nm chip that TSMC is working on is based on GAA nanosheet transistor architecture and is entirely different from the Finfet infrastructure used for 3nm chips, which are currently the most advanced nodes in production and are in more mature nodes.

TSMC maintains that its enhanced 3nm technology would have comparable performance to the 18A chip but enjoys advantages in time-to-market, technology maturity and cost structure.

TSMC and Samsung are now producing 3nm chips, while Intel is broadly seen as producing chips at the 5nm mark. All three are aiming to produce 2-nm chips by 2025.

AI-era Foundry

During the conference, Gelsigner also announced the launch of what was termed as the 'world's first systems foundry for the AI era'.

Gelsinger reaffirmed Intel's resolve to become the world's second-largest foundry by 2030 and said AI was driving up the demand for chips.

“AI is profoundly transforming the world and how we think about technology and the silicon that powers it,” said Gelsinger.

“This is creating an unprecedented opportunity for the world’s most innovative chip designers and for Intel Foundry, the world’s first systems foundry for the AI era. Together, we can create new markets and revolutionize how the world uses technology to improve people’s lives.” he added.

Microsoft became Intel's foundry customer by choosing Intel's 18A process - to manufacture a chip design.

During Gelsinger's keynote, Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella announced that Microsoft has chosen a chip design it plans to produce on the Intel 18A process.