TSMC's former and current engineers were involved in a 2nm theft incident, and after an extensive investigation, the individuals are now being legally pursued.
TSMC's Former Engineers Stole Information Around the 2nm Process to Give Their Newer Employers a Leverage
When it comes to technology theft, semiconductors are an area that is actively targeted, and this isn't limited to internal elements within TSMC; it also involves geopolitics. Taiwan has taken theft claims in this segment very seriously, and one recent case is an alleged 2nm theft by TSMC's own employees. We'll discuss the incident ahead, but for now, a recent report by the UDN suggests that TSMC engineers were found in violation of the "National Security Act" during hearings that culminated in a local court investigation. The prosecution is now seeking up to 14 years' imprisonment for the engineers involved.
The prosecution stated that from 2023 to the first half of last year, in order to help Tokyo Power Co., Ltd. become a supplier of equipment for more sites in TSMC's advanced process, Chen Liming repeatedly asked Wu Bingjun and Ge Yiping, TSMC engineers who were working at the time, to provide key technologies and trade secrets.
After filming and reproducing the information, Tokyo Power Co., Ltd. reviewed and improved the performance of the etching equipment in order to obtain the qualification to supply mass production equipment for TSMC's 2-nanometer process etching site.
- UDN (Automated Translation)
It was previously reported that TSMC's internal security system flagged individuals attempting to access the company's database illegally, and the engineers mentioned above apparently used their smartphones to photograph sensitive documents during the Taiwan giant's N2 process. The main culprit in the supposed 'semiconductor heist' was a former TSMC employee, Chen Weijie, who joined Tokyo Electron (TEL). The reason for gathering sensitive documents was to obtain information on TSMC's 2nm etching process and, in turn, enable TEL to improve its chip equipment to secure orders from TSMC.
Given the severity of the process node, TSMC and the relevant Taiwan authorities immediately launched an investigation, and, as a result, Chen, along with his former manager at TEL, is reportedly being penalized. Since technology theft is considered one of the highest-order crimes in Taiwan, the prosecution is seeking up to 14 years in prison for the engineers involved, underscoring the importance of Taiwan's legal system cracking down on such matters. Interestingly, there is also a similar investigation into Wei-Jen Lo, an ex-TSMC employee now at Intel, who is also accused of sensitive technology transfer.
About the author: Muhammad Zuhair is a hardware and technology reporter for Wccftech, specializing in the semiconductor industry and the complex interplay between technology, manufacturing, and geopolitics. His coverage focuses on the corporate strategies and technological roadmaps of industry giants like TSMC, NVIDIA, Samsung, and Intel. Zuhair's expertise lies in deconstructing complex topics such as fabrication nodes (e.g., 2nm process), the economic impact of policies like the CHIPS Act, and the strategic development of AI infrastructure from NVIDIA, AMD and Intel.
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