TSMC held its 2026 North American Technology Forum on April 22, where it revealed its advanced A13 and A12 processes following A14 in the field of cutting-edge logic manufacturing. Both technologies are scheduled for mass production in 2029.
The A13 is a direct optical shrink of the A14, saving 6% of area while maintaining full backward compatibility with the A14 design rules. Furthermore, through co-optimization of design and technology, it provides additional energy efficiency and performance improvements.
The A12 is TSMC’s next-generation Super Power Rail back-end power supply technology after the A16, targeting AI/HPC applications.
TSMC also announced the N2U, an evolution of its 2nm platform, which boasts a 3-4% speed improvement or an 8-10% reduction in power consumption compared to N2P, along with a 2-3% increase in logic density. Production is expected to begin in 2028. Also launched was N2A, the first automotive process technology using GAA ( Gas-Assisted Architecture), which offers a 15-20% speed improvement over the N3A, which entered production this year, while maintaining the same power consumption. AEC-Q100 verification is expected to be completed in 2028.
In terms of relatively mature logic processes, TSMC will be the first to introduce high-voltage technology into FinFET transistor technology this year, bringing the N16HV process technology for DDICs. This process increases gate density by 41% and reduces power consumption by 35% compared to N28HV.
