Overview
- Rapidus officially started test production of 2-nanometer chips at its Hokkaido facility on April 1, 2025, using ASML's advanced EUV lithography systems.
- The company plans to release its first batch of test wafers by July 2025 and provide process design kits (PDKs) to early customers for prototyping.
- A new R&D center, Rapidus Chiplet Solutions (RCS), is being established to focus on advanced packaging and post-fabrication processes to enhance manufacturing capabilities.
- Japan's government has allocated $11.5 billion to support Rapidus, part of a broader strategy to reduce reliance on foreign semiconductor technology.
- Analysts remain skeptical about the feasibility of achieving mass production by 2027, citing the complexity of mastering cutting-edge tools and the company's inexperience.