TSMC's next-generation 1.4nm process, known as A14, is reportedly moving closer to trial production, according to Taiwanese media citing industry sources.
The reports say A14 is on track to enter trial production in 2027, with pilot production already starting at TSMC's Fab 20 in Hsinchu's Baoshan science park before shifting to Fab 25 in Taichung. Mass production remains targeted for 2028, in line with what TSMC has said publicly for a while now.
According to the same reports, TSMC's yield progress on A14 is apparently running ahead of schedule. Test vehicles are said to be hitting close to 90% of the target device performance, and 256Mb SRAM yields are reportedly nearing 90% as well. That's a solid position for a node still a couple of years from mass production, though yield figures this early can still shift.
TSMC has said A14 should deliver a 10 to 15% speed bump over its N2 (2nm) process at the same power draw, or a 25 to 30% cut in power use at similar speeds, alongside a logic density increase of more than 20%. A follow-up node called A13 is also planned, offering a further 6% reduction in die area over A14, with volume production expected in 2029.
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TSMC began construction on the dedicated A14 fab in Taichung late last year, and more recently, reports suggested the build itself was running ahead of schedule, with trial runs pointed at sometime around mid-2027. With Intel also racing toward its competing 14A node on a similar timeline, it looks like both foundries are headed for a tight finish through 2027 and into 2028.
