Samsung aims to mass produce 2nm process in 2025
Samsung previously unveiled its process technology roadmap through 2027, detailing the semiconductor process development plans following the mass production of SF3E (3nm GAA, 3GAE) in June 2022. These plans include SF3 (3GAP), SF3P (3GAP+), SF4P, SF4X, SF2, SF3P, SF2P, and SF1.4. Samsung is set to introduce its second generation of 3nm technology this year, known as SF3, which is reportedly already in trial production. However, sources previously suggested that Samsung intends to shift this second-generation 3nm process to a 2nm process.
According to Business Korea, Samsung will present a paper at the “VLSI Symposium 2024” from June 16 to 20, which will discuss the characteristics of the third-generation GAA (Gate-All-Around) transistor technology applied in the 2nm (SF2) process, along with more crucial details.
Samsung states that the new process will further refine the Multi-Bridge Channel Field Effect Transistor (MBCFET) architecture, featuring unique epitaxial and integration processes. Compared to processes based on FinFET technology, this transistor offers a performance improvement of 11% to 46%, reduces variability by 26%, and cuts leakage by approximately 50%. According to Samsung’s schedule, the technological development of SF2 is set to be completed by the second quarter of 2024, at which point its chip partners will have the option to design products using this process node.
Samsung’s efforts extend beyond pushing technological boundaries; it has been actively strengthening the 2nm process ecosystem, which now includes over 50 partners. In February of this year, Samsung announced a partnership with Arm to optimize the next generation of Arm Cortex-X/Cortex-A CPU cores using the latest GAA transistor technology, significantly enhancing performance and efficiency to elevate user experience to a new level.
Simultaneously, Samsung also plans to introduce its third-generation 3nm process, aimed at further increasing density and reducing power consumption while also needing to improve yield rates. The first generation 3nm process from Samsung was not entirely successful, with early yield rates rumored to be only about 20%, primarily used for producing chips for cryptocurrency mining, lacking substantial orders from major customers.
