TSMC Will Use 64-Bit ARM CPUs to Test 16nm Technology in 2013

Despite the attempts on Globalfoundries' part to take over, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company is still the number one maker of logic chips.

That means that its roadmap update did not go by ignored. In fact, we find it quite interesting that TSMC is thinking of using ARMv8, ARM's 64-bit compatible CPU architecture, as the test vehicle for the 16nm FinFET fabrication process.

Mass production will only begin in November 2013 though, so there is still some time until then.

In the meantime, TSMC will make 20nm chips, though of a single sort rather than four.

“TSMC’s 16nm FinFET process will be substantially similar to its 20nm high-K metal gate SoC process in the back-end,” said Cliff Hou, vice president of research and development at TSMC.

If there was a need for any extra assurance that ARM and TSMC really had partnered up, this is it.

After 16nm, TSMC will go through 14nm and eventually reach 10nm in 2016.