HSINCHU, Taiwan, R.O.C. Mar. 12, 2025 - MediaTek and TSMC (TWSE: 2330, NYSE: TSM) announced today that they have jointly demonstrated the first silicon-proven power management unit (PMU) and integrated power amplifier (iPA) on TSMC’s N6RF+ process.
This achievement makes it possible to integrate these two essential components into a system-on-chip (SoC) on an advanced RF process for wireless connectivity products, enabling a significantly smaller form factor while enjoying performance competitive with stand-alone modules.
The smaller area enabled by TSMC’s advanced N6RF+ technology can reduce the size of the wireless connectivity product module by a double-digit percentage. In addition, TSMC and MediaTek’s results showed significant improvement in power efficiency for the PMU compared with existing solutions, while iPA performance was competitive with benchmark products. As the world’s leading supplier of wireless connectivity solutions, MediaTek is well positioned to leverage these advancements to ensure top product performance as it shifts towards the next generation.
A direct result of MediaTek and TSMC’s close collaboration on Design-Technology Co-Optimization (DTCO), MediaTek drew on its product and design expertise to drive system specifications and technology requirements for this project, and TSMC enhanced its technology to enable differentiation in the products.
“After a year of working together on N6RF+, the test chip has exhibited excellent power efficiency gains," said Ching San Wu, Corporate Vice President at MediaTek. "By combining MediaTek's leadership in wireless technology and TSMC's expertise on DTCO, N6RF+ will become a competitive technology for RFSOC projects, creating a significant advantage in the industry."
“Successful DTCO between foundry and customer requires strong mutual trust and teamwork, and we are delighted in this joint accomplishment with a wireless connectivity leader like MediaTek,” said Lipen Yuan, senior director of Advanced Technology Business Development at TSMC. “This achievement on TSMC’s N6RF+ process shows how TSMC combines its leadership in advanced logic and broad portfolio of specialty technologies to provide differentiated solutions for customers’ products.”
###
About MediaTek Inc.
MediaTek Incorporated (TWSE: 2454) is a global fabless semiconductor company that enables nearly 2 billion connected devices a year. We are a market leader in developing innovative systems-on-chip (SoC) for mobile, home entertainment, connectivity and IoT products. Our dedication to innovation has positioned us as a driving market force in several key technology areas, including highly power-efficient mobile technologies, automotive solutions and a broad range of advanced multimedia products such as smartphones, tablets, digital televisions, 5G, Voice Assistant Devices (VAD) and wearables. MediaTek empowers and inspires people to expand their horizons and achieve their goals through smart technology, more easily and efficiently than ever before. We work with the brands you love to make great technology accessible to everyone, and it drives everything we do. Visit www.mediatek.com for more information.
About TSMC
TSMC pioneered the pure-play foundry business model when it was founded in 1987, and has been the world’s leading dedicated semiconductor foundry ever since. The Company supports a thriving ecosystem of global customers and partners with the industry’s leading process technologies and portfolio of design enablement solutions to unleash innovation for the global semiconductor industry. With global operations spanning Asia, Europe, and North America, TSMC serves as a committed corporate citizen around the world.
TSMC deployed 288 distinct process technologies, and manufactured 11,878 products for 522 customers in 2024 by providing the broadest range of advanced, specialty and advanced packaging technology services. The Company is headquartered in Hsinchu, Taiwan. For more information please visit https://www.tsmc.com.