TSMC Engineers Allegedly Leaked Secrets of the 2-nm Process
12:40, 01.04.2026
It was recently reported that some TSMC engineers are accused of stealing information related to the 2-nm process.
Consequences of the theft of trade secrets
Semiconductor manufacturing is a highly vulnerable industry when it comes to the potential theft of trade secrets. Currently, TSMC engineers are accused of violating the “National Security Act,” and the prosecution is seeking up to 14 years in prison.
It has been revealed that from 2023 to 2025, TSMC engineers contacted representatives of Tokyo Power Co. The company sought to increase the number of facilities to which it supplies equipment.
As a result, they were able to demonstrate that the company had improved the performance of its etching equipment in order to obtain approval for mass production at the TSMC facility. Most likely, TSMC engineers photographed confidential information at the production site.
The main suspect is a former TSMC employee who now works at Tokyo Electron. A similar investigation is also underway involving another former employee who now works at Intel.
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