TSMC’s 21-year veteran leaves Intel to take charge of R&D! Luo Weiren is rumored to have taken away 2-nanometer advanced process secrets

TSMC’s former senior deputy general manager of technology R&D and corporate strategy development, Luo Weiren, retired at the end of July this year. Subsequently, it was reported that the 75-year-old Luo Weiren returned to Intel (Intel) to take charge of the R&D department. Recently, it was reported in the industry that Luo Weiren took away a large amount of confidential information on the 2nm advanced process before his retirement. TSMC has not yet made a specific response to this.

Luo Weiren joined TSMC in 2004 as the deputy general manager of the operating organization, and served as the deputy general manager of R&D from 2006 to 2009. He was then promoted to the deputy general manager of advanced technology business and operating organization manufacturing technology. Over the past 21 years, TSMC’s technical team has obtained more than 1,500 patents, of which about 1,000 are U.S. patents, laying a solid foundation for TSMC’s advanced process and technology research and development.

Before Luo Weiren joined TSMC, he served as associate director of advanced technology development and CTM fab director at Intel. Therefore, after his retirement in July this year, there were widespread rumors in the industry that Luo Weiren returned to his old employer Intel and took charge of the R&D department. He has officially taken up the position, which shocked the semiconductor industry. Now it is also rumored that Luo Weiren took away a large amount of confidential information on the most advanced process technologies such as 2 nanometers, A16, and A14 nanometers.

According to the "Liberty Times" quoting information, before Luo Weiren retired, he used his power as a senior executive to request briefings from his subordinates and photocopied a large number of advanced process technology materials such as 2 nanometers, A16, and A14 nanometers. TSMC is currently collecting evidence and may take action based on the situation in the future. However, it remains to be seen whether it will be treated as a violation of the national security law in the same way as engineers who were previously suspected of stealing the country's core key technologies.

Regarding the issue of non-compete contracts, it is reported that TSMC usually requires senior executives who have resigned or retired to enter non-compete contracts, restricting them from joining competing companies within 18 months, and will be given half salary during this period. However, it is rumored that Luo Weiren did not sign, and even if he signed, it would not be successful. Overall, TSMC and Intel have not yet made a specific response to the news that confidential information was taken away.

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