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Japan's New Semiconductor Foundry Rapidus Taps IBM For 2nm Process
forbes.com, Dec. 12, 2022 –
Japan wants to get back into the leading-edge semiconductor business and very recently a new company was formed to reboot its semiconductor industry. The company is named Rapidus, referring to rapid production of new chips, a clear reference to how the company plans to differentiate its business from other foundries such as TSMC, Samsung, and Intel. The company has announced a partnership with IBM Research to develop IBMs 2nm technology in fabs that Rapidus plans to build in Japan during the second part of this decade. Previously, Rapidus announced a collaboration with the Belgium-based microelectronics research hub IMEC on advanced semiconductor technologies. Imec is collaborative semiconductor research organization working the worlds major foundries, IDMs, fabless and fablite companies, material and tool suppliers, EDA companies and application developers.
The IBM process uses gate-all-around transistors - IBM refers to them as nano sheet FETs - which is the next generation of transistor design that enables device scaling beyond todays FinFETs. The 2nm structures will require Rapidus to use ASMLs EUV manufacturing equipment. Business details with IBM were not disclosed, but theres likely two parts to the deal: a cross-licensing agreement for the intellectual property necessary to build the product and a joint development agreement. While the announcement is nominally for IBMs 2nm process, it likely includes a long-term commitment to build advanced semiconductor chips going beyond the 2nm process node.
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