Exploring Rapidus' Path to 2nm Mass Production: 3 Key Challenges Ahead

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trendforce.com, Feb. 10, 2025 – 

Japan’s Rapidus has gained attention for its progress on 2nm chips, a market supposedly dominated by foundry giants like TSMC, Intel, and Samsung. According to Nikkei, the company plans trial production in April and aims to provide 2nm samples by June.

To fully understand Rapidus’ potential and clarify uncertainties, TechNews columnist Liang-Yang Lin, associate professor of National Kaohsiung Normal University, discusses the three key challenges the company must overcome for 2nm mass production.

Tough Early Challenge: Converting Prototypes into Products

According to a previous eeNews Europe report, Rapidus joined imec’s Core Partner Programme in 2023, following a Belgian economic delegation to Japan and a Memorandum of Collaboration in late 2022. The new foundry also announced plans to use IBM’s semiconductor expertise and 2nm process.

However, Rapidus should be mindful of the limitations of lab results, as highlighted in Lin’s column. Though IBM’s Thomas J. Watson Research Center is a renowned institution, it now focuses more on research, and the latest “Gate-All-Around” (GAA) process is still in the lab phase.

Similarly, imec, while skilled in semiconductors, is also a research organization with limited mass production experience. Lin points out that whether their technology can be commercialized will be a major challenge for Rapidus.

Challenges in 2nm Mass Production Undermined?

For now, FinFET (Fin Field-Effect Transistor) remains the mainstream, with major players like TSMC, Samsung, Intel, UMC, GlobalFoundries, and SMIC having extensive experience in it.

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