US, Japan reaching for a 2-nm chip breakthrough

Asia Times ^

[FarCenter]

TOKYO – A top-level meeting has confirmed earlier reports that the US and Japan will work together to develop leading-edge 2-nanometer (nm) semiconductor process technology to prevent overreliance on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company’s (TSMC) factories in Taiwan.

On July 29, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo met with Japan’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoshimasa Hayashi and Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Koichi Hagiuda in Washington, DC. It was the first meeting of the newly established US-Japan Economic Policy Consultative Committee.

A joint statement issued after the meeting said the two sides “seek to advance efforts under the Japan-US Commercial and Industrial Partnership and other frameworks to foster supply chain resilience in strategic sectors, including, in particular, semiconductors…”

They also “Welcome the progress of the Joint Task Force announced by President Biden and Prime Minister Kishida to explore the development of next generation semiconductors…”

The joint statement is short on detail, but according to reports in the Japanese press, a new R&D organization with significant US participation will be established in Japan by the end of this year to develop and prove the 2-nm technology with a goal of starting production by 2025.

TSMC also aims to start 2-nm production in 2025 but has already started building a factory. The US and Japan are playing catch-up, likely driven in part by fear of a Chinese take-over of Taiwan. IBM announced a 2-nm design in May 2021 but it is not ready for mass production.

[FarCenter]

Silicon has the diamond cubic crystal structure with a lattice parameter of 0.543 nm. The nearest neighbor distance is 0.235 nm. The diamond cubic crystal structure has an fcc lattice with a basis of two silicon atoms.

https://www.princeton.edu/~maelabs/mae324/glos324/silicon.htm

[Rennes Templar]

Why they haven’t been produced in the US is beyond me.

[SmokingJoe]

We usually talk about how the US lost its lead in chips, but the Japanese lost their lead in chips to the South East Asians like Taiwan and South Korea as well.

[ConservativeInPA]

What the hell does anyone in government, US or Japan, know about technology? Keep talking and keep spending money instead of creating the freedom for innovation to prosper.

[Gene Eric]

>> Why they haven’t been produced in the US is beyond me

Outsourcing used to be a thing.

[Spktyr]

*Nobody’s* produced 2nm chips in practical quantities yet, US regulations have stifled fab development for decades and US production is subject to capricious regulation and enviro blackmail.

[Spktyr]

Government regulation and bullcrap drove it away in the first place - just creating freedom for innovation is not going to bring it back any more. The burned hand has taught best, and the chip industry got burned repeatedly.

[Cobra64]

Labor cost.

[agere_contra]

... capricious regulation and enviro blackmail ... Burned hand teaches best ....

Well said! Pithy and to the point. And applicable to so many industries.

[SpokeshaveReturns]

Note to self....buy ASML.

[mad_as_he$$]

Remember this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SEMATECH

What a disappointment.