Ride on 5G for a future beyond imagination.
TSMC's 22nm ULP RF technology provides industry-leading integration solution for mmWave chips targeting 5G mobile and IoT IC applications.
TSMC 16nm FinFET RF technology provides the most competitive power, and die size advantages; leading industry to start volume production of 5G sub-6GHz RF chips for customers.
CASE STUDY

TSMC Accelerates 5G Mobile Communications Commercialization

Leading Industry to start 16nm FinFET RF Volume Production and 22nm Ultra Low Power RF Risk Production
Richard C.Y. Chung
2019/02/01

TSMC is leading the charge into the process technology for 5G mobile communications, becoming the first foundry to use 16nm Fin Field-Effect-Transistor Radio Frequency (16nm FinFET RF) technology for volume production in the first half of 2018, and adopt 22nm Ultra Low Power RF (22nm ULP RF) technology for risk production in the second half of 2018.

Both technologies are critical to 5G communications protocol adoption. The 16nm FinFET RF process is for sub-6GHz 5G devices, while the 22nm ULP RF process is ideal for 5G millimeter wave (mmWave) chips. These two milestones also exemplify TSMC's commitment to invest and innovate in both advanced and specialty technologies to offer customers the most comprehensive and competitive technologies.

Offering industry’s Most competitive Power, and Die Size Advantages

TSMC’s 16nm FinFET RF process features the industry’s first three-dimensional FinFET transistors for RF applications. The technology provides approximately a 50% power reduction and a 40% die size reduction compared to 28nm low power (LP) RF planar technology. In addition to 5G mobile applications, the 16nm FinFET RF technology expands to next generation Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN 802.11ax) applications.

Offering Industry-Leading mmWave RF Integration Solution

TSMC’s 22nm ULP RF industry-leading technology integrates key mmWave mobile communication devices such as a mmWave front end module that includes switches, low noise amplifiers (LNA), and power amplifiers (PA), onto a single chip. The CMOS process technology also reduces power consumption.

The 22nm ULP RF technology provides approximately a 30% power reduction and a 20% die size reduction compared to 28nm LP RF technology, offering outstanding competitive advantages for 5G mmWave RF chips. The process also supports high cut-off frequency devices, providing more flexible process design kits (PDK) and reliable simulation models that are ideal for development and production of 5G mobile and IoT IC applications.