TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — On the eve of U.S. President Joe Biden’s visit to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company's (TSMC) new factory in Arizona on Tuesday (Dec. 6), there have been reports TSMC could upgrade the fab to make 4 nanometer chips, an enhanced version of its 5nm chips.

The company had originally planned to produce 5nm chips at the US$12 billion (NT$365 billion) plant. According to Bloomberg, TSMC changed its tune after requests from Apple and Nvidia, among other powerful players in the tech industry.

Biden will attend a “tool-in-ceremony” on Tuesday, which is when the first batch of equipment is installed on the shop floor. The fab is expected to start mass production in 2024.

The U.S. president has made it a keystone policy of his administration to boost the country’s chipmaking from its current 12% global share of production. In August, Biden earmarked US$52.7 billion for chipmaking and research, in addition to providing generous tax credits for capital expenses and equipment.

TSMC previously said the first Arizona fab will have a monthly capacity of 20,000 wafers, but this may be increased, according to the Bloomberg report. 

TSMC is also constructing a semiconductor plant in Japan, which was part funded by the Japan government.