Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, the world's largest semiconductor foundry, has unveiled its most advanced manufacturing process yet and an industry's first with a 40-nanometer node. TSMC is one of the key partners to fabless technology companies like Nvidia, Broadcom, Conexant, and VIA.

While a bolder TSMC was more aggressive during the 90s, today there's an increased risk and diminished demand for the smaller designs. Thus the new 40nm process comes from a fine-tuned version of the 45nm design they unveiled last year, and brings them a step closer to the 32nm target expected sometime in late 2009. In the meantime, the company says they will be 40nm-production ready by the second quarter of this year.