TSMC's Plant in Arizona Introduced the First EUV Lithography Machine
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Update time : 2023-08-23 11:29:47
Recently, TSMC's Arizona plant introduced the first set of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines in the United States. According to the plan, TSMC expects to invest in the establishment of 2 advanced wafer fabs in Arizona. Among them, the first fab expected to use 4 nm process technology has completed hardware construction and is installing thousands of advanced and precision equipment, including the plant's first EUV lithography machine, which is expected to begin mass production in 2025. In addition, the construction of the next second fab, which is expected to use the 3 nm process, is also well underway and is expected to be completed in 2027.
As the factory enters the critical stage of installing advanced and sophisticated equipment, local TSMC suppliers continue to recruit employees. TSMC's Arizona plant currently has about 12,000 factory construction personnel on site, but in order to meet the needs of equipment installation, it is estimated that there are still about 2,000 related equipment installation engineering personnel recruited, including sheet metal, electricians and other related engineering personnel.
According to people familiar with the matter, due to labor shortages and other factors, the construction progress of the new plant has lagged behind, and the cost has exceeded expectations. To this end, TSMC will send employees to the local area to rush to work. Regarding the previous rumors of local labor problems in the current Arizona state, TSMC has said that it will work with suppliers to create local jobs, while also further providing an inclusive working environment and striving to establish a sustainable supply chain.
Earlier, TSMC and suppliers were in talks with the U.S. government to help process nonimmigrant visas for workers, hoping to send more than 500 people to the United States as early as July to speed up the construction of cleanroom facilities and the installation of pipelines and other equipment. Workers in the U.S. will include contract technicians and workers experienced in specialized areas such as cleanroom setup, pipeline installation, chip factory machinery and electrical systems.
The talent problem has also been considered by TSMC at the beginning of its factory in the United States, and its solution is to send engineers from TSMC headquarters in Taiwan to work in the United States, and American engineers to the headquarters for training. However, this talent problem is more serious than expected, and American unions are worried about job opportunities and strongly oppose TSMC's dispatch of employees from Taiwan. The U.S. union also wants the U.S. top brass to deny visas to engineers from Taiwan Province who come to work in the United States.
Some insiders believe that TSMC's introduction of the first EUV equipment is to appease the US labor union, but it may not be so easy to ease the dissatisfaction of local workers.
