Japan's Rapidus has successfully taped out a 2 nm GAA test chip, with plans to enter high-volume production in 2027. During their Hot Chips 2025 talk, the company outlined its goals for the new IIM-1 foundry, where these chips will be produced, as well as its pitch to customers accustomed to other fabs, such as TSMC and potentially Intel. The Rapidus 2 nm GAA test chip was built using EUV tools from ASML, and the node has achieved all of the required electrical characteristics that were set from the start. With volume production in 2027, the Rapidus CEO notes that approximately 25,000 wafers will be produced per month at their IIM-1 fab.

However, in 2027, Rapidus will be a node or two behind TSMC, and potentially even Intel. Therefore, the company wants to differentiate itself from the competition by being the most agile in the field. The company advertises a turnaround time of only 50 days for its proprietary all-single-wafer concept, whereas the batch-single mixed design typically requires around 120 days to completion. This cuts the waiting time for custom silicon from three months to just 50 days. Rapidus envisions this by using a custom backend that works with OSAT, EDA, IP, R&D, and tool materials to enable rapid turnaround times for silicon. For hot lots, which are produced when a specific product is in high demand and companies need it ASAP, the standard time is approximately 50 days. However, Rapids promises 15 days for the wafer, which is never seen before, especially at a leading-edge node like 2 nm.