Altera is expected to have Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) fabricate its next-generation FPGA chips using TSMC's newly implemented 16nm FinFET+ process, instead of producing the chips using Intel's 14nm tri-gate transistor technology, according to a Chinese-language Commercial Times report.

　　The paper, citing JJ Park of JP Morgan Securities, said that Intel's decision to delay its 14nm Broadwell CPUs to the fourth quarter of 2014 is the main concern that sent Altera switching its orders back to TSMC.

　　Meanwhile, TSMC has managed to ramp up the yield rate of its 20nm process to 50% recently, which will allow TSMC to enjoy brisk sales in the next three quarters, said Park.