TSMC's outlook is so fuzzy it's reportedly stalling fab machine deliveries Faced with uncertain market conditions, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is said to have temporarily delayed delivery of some advanced chipmaking equipment. Citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter, Reuters reports that the world's largest foundry operator is holding off on equipment deliveries in the " …
TSMC was doing well until chip fabrication became a hot political issue. Now its almost impossible for the company to plan so the natural response would be to go into a holding pattern, waiting to see how things fall out. There's no point in investing in expanding production, for example, if a quarter of your sales is suddenly denied you. Being told to build a plant somewhere like Phoenix because its politically expedient despite it lacking adequate physical and human infrastructure is also gross interference in business.
That last thing isn't happening any time soon. Maybe a single digit number of research patterns using cobbled together lab equipment, but they're not currently anywhere close to being able to go to sub 5 nm with DUV, and they're not going to be able to do EUV for a long time yet.
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