Samsung Electronics May Apply 3-nm Process to Its Own Chips First

Samsung Electronics has recently introduced a roadmap for its semiconductor foundry business at a foundry forum in Shanghai, China.

Although the roadmap includes plans for mass-production of first-generation 4-nm chips in the second half of 2021, mass-production of second-generation 4-nm chips in 2022 and mass-production of second-generation 3-nm chips in 2023, it does not include a plan for volume production of first-generation 3-nm chips. Samsung Electronics previous announced that it would introduce 3-nm process technology from 2022.

Some analysts note that Samsung Electronics did not disclose its plan for first-generation 3-nm process technology, probably because it plans to apply it to chips of its own design first before using it for those of customers.

Semiconductors manufactured through 3-nano process technology are 35 percent smaller compared to those produced through 5-nano process technology. But they are 15 percent and 30 percent better in performance and battery efficiency, respectively. TSMC, the world's largest foundry company, is also developing 3-nm process technology with the goal of introducing it next year.

Samsung Electronics will apply gate all around (GAA) technology to a 3-nm process instead of FinFET, an old method. GAA technology is a next-generation technology that extends the contact surface of a transistor's gate and channel to four. This method increases the efficiency of electricity by adding one more side compared to the current FinFET method.

Synopsis, a U.S. electronic design automation (EDA) company, announced last month that it succeeded in the tape-out of a 3-nm process based on GAA technology in cooperation with Samsung Electronics. Tape-out refers to a stage of completing development and handing over a design to manufacturers. As a result, Samsung Electronics is expected to start testing 3-nano foundry process technology after verification.