August 24, 2026 -
TSMC has completed development and validation of its next-generation 1.6-nanometer-class A16 process and will begin mass production in the fourth quarter of this year. A16 is the first angstrom-class CMOS platform to feature Super Power Rail (SPR) technology, which relocates the power delivery network to the backside of the wafer, eliminating bottlenecks with signal routing. Compared with N2P, A16 delivers 8–10% faster performance at the same power, 15–20% lower power consumption at the same speed, and 8–10% higher chip density. The successful development of A16 bodes well for the A14 process, slated for mass production in 2028. Samsung Electronics has postponed its 1.4nm mass production to 2029, meaning the technology gap with TSMC is expected to persist. TSMC's board approved capital expenditures of $29.4425 billion for advanced process technology and packaging, while some packaging orders have been shifted to Intel's Malaysia facility due to CoWoS capacity constraints.