According to Tomshardware, prototype production of test wafers using 2nm fully enclosed gate architecture (GAA) transistor technology has begun at Rapidus Japan's IIM-1 plant.

The company confirms that the early testing wafers have achieved the expected electrical characteristics, indicating that its wafer fab tools are operating normally and the development of process technology is progressing smoothly.

Prototype production is an important milestone in semiconductor production, aimed at verifying the reliability, efficiency, and performance goals of early test circuits manufactured using new technologies.

Rapidus is currently measuring the electrical characteristics of its test circuit, including critical voltage, drive current, leakage current, subcritical slope, switching speed, power consumption, and capacitance parameters.

In addition, Rapidus' IIM-1 plant has been operating normally since September 2023, with the cleanroom completed in 2024. As of June 2025, over 200 sets of equipment, including advanced DUV and EUV lithography tools, have been connected.

It was previously said that Japan's domestic semiconductor industry basically withdrew from its old production lines after years of attacks on the semiconductor industry in Taiwan, China, China and South Korea, with only a few equipment still in operation.

Before TSMC's large-scale investment in Japanese factories, it was difficult for Japan to mass produce 40nm process chips, and even lagged behind Chinese Mainland in the process field.