Samsung’s second-generation 3nm GAA process will be mass-produced in 2024
Some time ago, Samsung held a delivery ceremony for 3nm foundry products using the next-generation GAA (Gate-All-Around) architecture transistor technology at the V1 production line of the Hwaseong factory in Gyeonggi-do. Samsung said that compared with the original 5nm process using FinFET, the first-generation 3nm GAA process node has different degrees of improvement in power consumption, performance, and area (PPA). Its area is reduced by 16%, performance is increased by 23%, and power consumption is reduced by 45%.
Although Samsung is full of confidence, in fact, the current 3nm GAA process lacks customers, and more importantly, the mobile SoC that is usually keen to adopt the new process has not been selected for the time being. There are reports that Samsung may use the 3nm process to manufacture the Exynos 2300, or for next year’s Galaxy S23 series, but there are reports that the Galaxy S23 series may all use Qualcomm’s solutions due to underperformance. In addition, Google’s third-generation Tensor chip may also use Samsung’s 3nm process and will be used in the Pixel 8 series, but there is no news yet.
In recent years, one of Samsung’s major customers, Qualcomm, has switched to TSMC (TSMC) on the new generation of flagship SoCs due to 4nm/5nm yield and energy efficiency issues, which has dealt a considerable blow to Samsung. According to Wccftech reports, Qualcomm is not very interested in Samsung’s first-generation 3nm GAA process, but it pays attention to its progress and evaluates it at any time, and may participate in the second-generation 3nm GAA process.
It is understood that Samsung’s second-generation 3nm GAA process will be mass-produced in 2024. Samsung said that the second-generation 3nm GAA process will join the MBCFET architecture, reducing the area of 3nm chips by 35%, improving performance by 30%, and reducing power consumption by 50%. If the yield rate can keep up, such an improvement may satisfy Qualcomm.
