Process nodes explained
A process node is the industry shorthand for a generation of chip manufacturing technology, historically named by a size in nanometres that roughly indicated how small the transistors were. Smaller nodes pack more transistors into the same area and tend to be faster and more power efficient, but they are far harder and costlier to build. The Dholera fab targets mature and specialty nodes across a reported 28 to 110 nm range, starting at 55 nm and 90 nm before moving to 28 nm, a deliberate choice suited to durable, high-volume products.
What a process node means
A process node is a label for a particular generation of chip-making technology. For decades the node was named after a physical dimension, measured in nanometres, that broadly reflected the smallest feature the process could reliably print, such as the length of a transistor's gate. As nodes shrank from micrometres down through hundreds and then tens of nanometres, chips became denser, faster and more power efficient. In practice the modern node number is more of a marketing and generational label than a precise physical measurement, because different manufacturers measure differently and the number no longer maps to a single dimension. Still, the general rule holds. A smaller node number means a newer, denser technology. The Dholera fab is planned around mature and specialty nodes, meaning well-established generations rather than the newest, with a reported range of 28, 40, 55, 90 and 110 nm.
Why smaller nodes matter
Shrinking the node has been the engine of the electronics industry for half a century. When transistors get smaller, you can fit more of them in the same area, which means more computing power per chip. Smaller transistors also switch faster and use less energy each, so a smaller node can deliver a chip that is quicker and more power efficient at once. This is the essence of the trend often summarised as more transistors for the same cost over time. It is why a modern phone processor, built on a leading-edge node, holds billions of transistors on a fingernail-sized chip. However, the benefits of shrinking have become harder and more expensive to obtain at the smallest nodes, where the physics and the equipment push against fundamental limits. That difficulty is exactly why leading-edge nodes are made by only a few manufacturers in the world and cost enormous sums to develop.
Leading-edge versus mature nodes
Nodes fall broadly into leading-edge and mature categories. Leading-edge nodes are the newest and smallest, used for the most demanding chips such as advanced smartphone and computer processors and cutting-edge artificial intelligence accelerators. They require the most sophisticated and expensive equipment, including advanced lithography, and only a handful of companies can produce them. Mature nodes, sometimes called legacy or specialty nodes, are older, larger generations that are fully proven and comparatively cheaper to run. They are not obsolete, far from it, because a huge share of the world's chips does not need the newest node. Cars, appliances, industrial controllers, power-management chips, display drivers and microcontrollers run happily on mature nodes and are needed in vast quantities. The Dholera fab targets this mature and specialty space, a market that is large, durable and less exposed to the extreme costs and risks of the leading edge.
Why Dholera starts at mature nodes
The Dholera fab is planned to begin at mature nodes and grow from there, a strategy company statements describe as always intended. The plan is to start with 55 nm and 90 nm and then move to 28 nm, so the earliest chips will come from a mature process, not from the smaller end of the range. This is a sound way to enter chip manufacturing for several reasons. Mature nodes are well understood, so the recipes and equipment are established and yields are easier to achieve. Demand is steady and broad, because so many everyday products rely on these chips. The capital and technical risk is far lower than attempting a leading-edge node from a standing start. Most importantly, running a mature-node fab builds the workforce, supplier base and operational track record a country needs before it can credibly attempt more advanced production later. It is the same path most successful chip nations followed.
What 28 nm and 90 nm chips are used for
The nodes Dholera targets sit in a sweet spot of practical, high-volume electronics. Nodes around 90 nm and 55 nm are common for power-management integrated circuits, microcontrollers, display drivers, sensors and many analog and mixed-signal chips, the components that regulate power, run simple control tasks and connect the digital world to the physical one. The 28 nm node is a particularly long-lived and popular generation, widely used for a broad mix of applications that need a good balance of performance, power and cost without the expense of the leading edge. These are precisely the product categories named for the Dholera fab, power-management integrated circuits, display drivers, microcontrollers and high-performance computing logic. Because demand for such chips is enormous and enduring, a fab serving these nodes can run at high volume for many years, which matches Dholera's target capacity of up to 50,000 wafers per month.
Nodes in the wider Dholera picture
Understanding nodes helps put the Dholera project in honest perspective. The fab is not attempting to leapfrog the world's most advanced chipmakers at the leading edge, and it does not claim to. It is establishing high-volume manufacturing at proven nodes that a modern economy consumes in huge quantities, while building the skills and ecosystem that could support more advanced work over time. Around this anchor, a cluster is forming. Two additional semiconductor units were cleared on 5 May 2026, one in Dholera and one in Surat, worth over Rs 3,900 cr combined. Tata Electronics signed a lithography partnership with ASML reported around 17 May 2026, giving access to leading lithography know-how. For context that should never be attributed to Dholera alone, sanctioned semiconductor projects across India now number about 12 with cumulative investment near Rs 1.64 lakh crore, reflecting a national push in which mature nodes are a sensible and strategic foundation.
FAQ
What is a process node in simple terms?
A process node is a label for a generation of chip-making technology, historically named by a size in nanometres that roughly indicated how small the transistors were. A smaller node number means a newer, denser technology. Today the number is more of a generational label than a precise measurement, but smaller still broadly means more advanced.
Are mature nodes outdated?
No. Mature nodes are proven, cost-effective generations that a huge share of the world's chips still use, including power-management chips, microcontrollers, display drivers and automotive parts. They are not obsolete, and demand for them is large and durable. The Dholera fab deliberately targets this mature and specialty space.
Why does Dholera start at 55 nm and 90 nm?
Starting at mature nodes lowers technical and financial risk, since the recipes and equipment are established and yields are easier to reach. It also builds the workforce, suppliers and operational track record a country needs before attempting more advanced nodes. The plan is to begin at 55 nm and 90 nm, then move to 28 nm.
What node range will the Dholera fab cover?
The reported node range is 28, 40, 55, 90 and 110 nm, all mature and specialty generations. The earliest chips will come from 55 nm and 90 nm, with 28 nm following. The fab targets a capacity of up to 50,000 wafers per month on 300 mm wafers.
Does a smaller node always mean a better chip?
Not for every purpose. Smaller nodes pack more transistors and can be faster and more power efficient, which matters for advanced processors, but they are far costlier and harder to make. Many products, from appliances to industrial controllers, work best on mature nodes that offer a good balance of performance, power and cost.