In 2015, Intel, samsung and TSMC (TSMC) are production 16/14 nm FinFET craft, the next node is next year's 10 nm, and after 10 nm semiconductor manufacturing technology recognized more and more complex, difficult more and more high, may even make Moore's law fails, need manufacturers more investment research and development of new technology and new materials. TSMC on FinFET craft production lagged behind Intel, samsung, but they process after 10 nm and confident, 2020 will be 5 nm process mass production, also will use EUV lithography process.

The truth is what?

After the press conference of the second quarter, TSMC plaguing the industry, media for semiconductor process "magic number" problem, publicly for the first time. Industry, mediatek set conversion method: TSMC 16 is equal to the Intel's twenty nano, 10 is equal to the Intel's twelve nano...

On July 14, 2016, TSMC season 2 news conference, to attend conference call way American analysts Arete researchz analyst Brett Simpson, asked a sudden question. He actually to common TSMC chief executive mark liu compare the Intel expects production of 10 nanometers, and two years later, the production of TSMC seven nanometers, the gap on the performance characteristics.

"You'll have to ask our customers," mark liu a little unpleasant said, "I can't answer for them."

If in a few years ago, won't appear this kind of questions. According to the semiconductor industry follows the 30 years of Moore's law, 7 nm technology leading 10 nm a generation technology, make transistors half size, efficiency, power consumption and other indicators are significantly beyond 10 nanometers. Both no more necessary.

The problem of the analyst, plaguing the industry, the media for the first time for semiconductor process "magic number", mentioned in public. He hinted that TSMC has yet to mass production of 7 with Intel's 10 nano technology, belonging to the same generation technology, so you can compare.

A number of TSMC client agree with this statement. They also point out that TSMC currently production of cutting-edge technology ─ ─ alone eat apple processor A10 16 nm process, only the equivalent of Intel's 20 nanometers.

Less than a month ago, a reporter information product face to face TV university clients, the world's biggest IC design company qualcomm chief technology officer of ge rob (Matt Grob) of the problem. He did not hesitate to loudly say "YES!" (YES).

Not only TSMC, samsung and Romania's process Numbers have been varying degrees of "beautification". "These wafer generation industry can think of some way to get digital increasingly smaller the better," said Mr Rob.

The result is to make the industry, he said, "very, very troubled." Even the qualcomm internal briefing meeting, cannot be directly applied foundries announcement of digital technology, and must pass a conversion. "We need to ask clear, the silicon wafer: how many logic circuit can be put on?" Gregory said rob.

A senior operators, mediatek internal have a conversion method: 16 nm in TSMC is Intel's 20 nm, 10 nm means Intel 12 nm. The next available, but it looks like "7 nm TSMC, 10 nm is better than Intel," he said.

Just a few years ago, the semiconductor industry has followed the footsteps of leading Intel see eye to eye. Why would become now this kind of "a process, each expression" chaos?

A front desk top executives, have revealed to the media, the perpetrator is samsung, and time is in the whole industry to import the new fin type field effect transistor (FinFET), about 2, 3 years ago.

TSMC's early adoption of a FinFET 16 nano technology, had planned to follow Intel, called 20 nm FinFET. Because the process of the transistors minimum line width (half - pitch) and mass production of the previous generation of 20 nanometers is similar to traditional solid-state technology, just change into new FinFET transistors.

But the customer response to TSMC supervisor, the same process, samsung has been named "nano" 14. If TSMC's "20 nanometers" must eat frowsty lose.

TSMC stand, later renamed, but only dare to call 16 nanometres. "We have at least a little conscience, dare not (like samsung) literally call," the front desk top with a wry smile.

Intel, for example, the original is expected in the autumn of 10 nanometers processor, recently announced that it will be delay to 17 launched in the second half of the year. As a result, the production time is likely to lag behind will also be in the same year mass production of the "10 nm TSMC process.

When part of the media to "TSMC overtaking Intel reported sharply." But industry insiders acknowledge that, in fact, he "10 nm" is not equal to the "10 nanometers," currently, TSMC still lag behind Intel more than a generation technology.

But the "hope" Taiwan is catching up. "In the past, Intel is larger for TSMC technology leader," qualcomm chief operating officer, Derek said, "we think the gap is narrowing, and will continue to shrink."