Taiwanese prosecutors have concluded an investigation into the theft of TSMC’s 2-nanometer chip process, filing charges against three engineers. Former TSMC engineer Chen, who later joined Japanese company Tokyo Electron, allegedly encouraged colleagues Wu and Ge to steal confidential data related to etching machine mass production tests. The trio reportedly photographed multiple documents containing key process parameters. Prosecutors said Chen’s actions were particularly serious and are seeking a combined 14-year prison sentence for violations of the National Security Act and the Trade Secrets Act. Wu faces a potential nine-year sentence, while Ge was sentenced to seven years. TSMC emphasized its zero-tolerance policy toward leaks and said the case highlights potential security risks in advanced semiconductor manufacturing. [Icsmart, in Chinese]
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