10nm

10 nm refers to a class of semiconductor manufacturing processes that succeeded earlier nodes such as 14 nm and 16 nm. The term is a marketing label as used by leading foundries, and does not correspond to a single fixed dimension across all manufacturers. In general, 10 nm nodes aim for higher transistor density, lower power consumption, and better performance, achieved through FinFET transistor structures and more advanced lithography.

Historically, several players marketed 10 nm processes in the late 2010s. Intel introduced 10 nm with Cannon Lake and later Ice Lake, followed by 10 nm Enhanced SuperFin for Tiger Lake and related processors. Apple’s A11 Bionic was manufactured on TSMC’s 10 nm FinFET process. Other foundries marketed 10 nm solutions for mobile and server applications, including Samsung and TSMC, with customers such as smartphone SoCs that aimed for improved efficiency and performance. The exact feature sizes and densities vary by process and customer.

Technically, 10 nm nodes rely on FinFET transistors and more advanced lithography, often using deep ultraviolet with multiple patterning techniques. EUV lithography was more prominently adopted at smaller nodes, while 10 nm generations generally required multi-patterning to achieve the required densities. The nodes also involved refinements in gate pitch, interconnects, and packaging to boost overall performance per watt.

Industry impact and status: the 10 nm era delivered measurable improvements but faced yield and cost challenges, contributing to slower ramp rates. As the industry progressed, many manufacturers shifted focus to 7 nm and newer nodes. Today, 10 nm is largely viewed as a transitional or historical step in the broader evolution of semiconductor process technology.