Amid an escalating talent war in Arizona between chip giants Intel Corp. and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., tensions between the two companies have risen over the past week now that Taiwanese authorities have reportedly opened an investigation into allegations that a high-ranking, retired TSMC executive who joined Intel in October had brought some trade secrets in tow.
Multiple Asian media outlets have reported that Wei-Jen Lo, who had been involved in the development of TSMC’s advanced chip manufacturing processes, allegedly brought some data related to those technologies to his new employer.
The Liberty Times reported that Lo had allegedly taken 80 boxes of paperwork and books when he departed TSMC, raising internal suspicions at the company. Focus Taiwan reported that the technology in question related to TSMC’s 2 nanometer, A16 and A14 processes.