January 24, 2024 /SemiMedia/ -- Rapidus recently stated that the construction of its 2nm chip fab in Chitose City, Hokkaido, Japan is going smoothly and trial production will begin in April 2025 as planned.

Rapidus said that the company has built Japan's first sub-2nm and most advanced logic chip factory, the IIM-1 fab, in Chitose City, Hokkaido in September 2023. In addition, the company has opened a Chitose office in Chitose City on January 22, 2024, to conduct business contacts with local companies and engage in recruitment and other matters.

Regarding the progress of the construction, Rapidus said that there was no delay for a day and the project was progressing according to the schedule.

Rapidus said it has dispatched researchers to the Albany NanoTech Complex, a semiconductor research center in New York, to cooperate with IBM to promote the research and development of 2nm logic chip production technology. In addition, the company also plans to learn from imec the EUV lithography equipment technology required to produce the most advanced chips.

The IIM-1 factory will start trial production in April 2025 and start mass production in 2027. Regarding future plans, Rapidus pointed out that it will also consider building the second and third fabs in the future.