Rapidus will be the first Japanese company to announce a 2nm prototype and integrate ASML’s EUV equipment, potentially earning it a spot in NVIDIA’s supply chain.
Rapidus announces 2nm prototyping to begin by 2025, commercial production scheduled for 2027, almost two years after TSMC
Looking at general semiconductor trends, it’s safe to say that TSMC has a big lead, winning orders from all the big tech companies. Competition with the likes of Intel Foundry and Samsung doesn’t look very good considering both companies have seen organizational deficiencies that give TSMC a clear advantage. However, Rapidus, which is said to be an emerging semiconductor player, has announced that it will integrate ASML’s EUV scanner into its Japanese facility, also revealing that 2nm production is on track and ready to compete with TSMC. did.
In a Nikkei Asia post, Lapidus revealed that ASML’s EUV equipment is expected to be installed by the end of December, given that Japan is one of the countries that will receive the exclusive ASML disconnection. This is said to be a revolutionary development for Japan’s semiconductor industry. edge hardware. Regarding 2nm advancements, Rapidus has revealed that pilot production is expected to begin by April 2025, with commercial development expected to begin by 2027.
Interestingly, NVIDIA has always been looking for potential semiconductor partners alongside TSMC, but has never found a viable option. However, Team Green said it would not rule out partnering with Rapidus on 2nm chips (via Ctee) given that Rapidus has shown superior yield rates and node performance. Given that NVIDIA is in dire need of diversifying its supply chain, choosing Rapidus is definitely an expected move given the company’s success in meeting expectations.
Rapidus has already started witnessing industry adoption of the 2nm node, primarily from IBM, but several companies have expressed interest in acquiring semiconductor supplies from Japanese fab manufacturers. It will be interesting to see how the company evolves in the future, but it’s safe to say that Rapidus certainly has the potential to compete with mainstream giants like TSMC.
