TSMC N4P process offers more performance, better energy efficiency and higher density

Another quick blurb about a new process technology from TSMC. The Taiwanese semiconductor foundry leader introduces its N4P node. This is a further refined version of the company's 5nm technology platform. N4P offers 6 percent higher performance versus N4 and 11 percent higher performance versus the original N5. Compared with N5, it also has 22 percent better energy efficiency and a 6 percent gain in transistor density. Tapeouts of the first chips fabbed on N4P are expected in the second half of 2022.

TSMC (TWSE: 2330, NYSE: TSM) today introduced its N4P process, a performance-focused enhancement of the 5-nanometer technology platform. N4P joins the industry’s most advanced and extensive portfolio of leading-edge technology processes. With N5, N4, N3 and the latest addition of N4P, TSMC customers will have multiple and compelling choices for power, performance, area, and cost for its products.

As the third major enhancement of TSMC’s 5nm family, N4P will deliver an 11% performance boost over the original N5 technology and a 6% boost over N4. Compared to N5, N4P will also deliver a 22% improvement in power efficiency as well as a 6% improvement in transistor density. In addition, N4P lowers process complexity and improves wafer cycle time by reducing the number of masks. N4P demonstrates TSMC’s pursuit and investment in continuous improvement of our process technologies.

TSMC customers often invest precious resources to develop new IP, architectures, and other innovations for their products. The N4P process was designed for an easy migration of 5nm platform-based products, which enables customers to not only better maximize their investment but will also deliver faster and more power efficient refreshes to their N5 products.

N4P designs will be well-supported by TSMC’s comprehensive design ecosystem for silicon IP and EDA. With TSMC and its Open Innovation Platform® partners helping to accelerate the product development cycle, the first products based on N4P technology are expected to tape out by the second half of 2022.

“With N4P, TSMC strengthens our portfolio of advanced logic semiconductor technologies, each with its unique blend of performance, power efficiency and cost. N4P was optimized to provide a further enhanced advanced technology platform for both HPC and mobile applications,” said Dr. Kevin Zhang, Senior Vice President of Business Development at TSMC. “Between all the variants of N5, N4 and N3 technologies, our customers will have the ultimate flexibility and unmatched choice of the best mix of attributes for their products.”