6nm

Six nanometers, or 6 nm, refers to a class of semiconductor manufacturing processes described by the industry as a sub-7-nanometer node. In practice, the term 6 nm is a marketing-oriented designation that signals a step beyond earlier 7 nm generations in terms of transistor density, power efficiency, and overall performance. The exact feature sizes and gate lengths are not fixed by the name; process developers use a combination of lithography, etching, and materials innovations to achieve higher device density within the same or smaller die areas.

6 nm node implementations are typically associated with advanced FinFET (fin field-effect transistor) architectures and may employ Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography in some processing steps to enable finer feature definition. The node aims to deliver improvements in performance and energy efficiency over the preceding 7 nm generation, enabling more capable mobile processors, GPUs, and other high-density integrated circuits.

Industry adoption of 6 nm has involved leading semiconductor foundries offering this class of process, often marketed as an evolution of the 7 nm family. Chips produced on 6 nm processes are used in a range of devices, from smartphones to data-center accelerators, depending on design and market requirements. However, because node names do not correspond to a single, universal physical dimension, exact transistor pitches and gate lengths can vary between manufacturers and technology families.

See also: Moore's law, process node, FinFET, EUV lithography.