Samsung roadmap includes 1.4nm production by 2027

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Samsung Electronics expects 1.4nm production by 2027, according to a published roadmap for its chip foundry business.

The company is upping the ante with its main rival Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) as demand for advanced semiconductors has soared.

Samsung said high performance computing (HPC), AI, 5G/6G and automotive applications are driving demand.

“The goal of technology development up to 1.4nm and specialized foundry platforms for each application, as well as a stable supply through constant investment, are all part of Samsung’s strategies to ensure the trust of consumers. customers and support their success,” said Si-young Choi, president of the foundry business. at Samsung Electronics, said in a prepared statement. “Realizing each customer’s innovation with our partners has been the core of our foundry service.”

The company this year was first to announce 3nm production.

Samsung will improve its gate-all-around (GAA) technology with plans to introduce a 2nm process in 2025.

The company did not disclose figures on investments in capacity expansion.

Foundries like TSMC and Samsung have outpaced the growth of the semiconductor industry.

The 31% increase in chip foundry revenue to $100.2 billion drove the growth of the entire semiconductor industry last year, according to market research firm Gartner. In advanced 7nm and 5nm nodes, where TSMC had more than 90% of the market, the company’s top customers were Apple, AMD and MediaTek, according to Gartner.

Samsung’s main customers – Qualcomm, Nvidia and Tesla – relied on the company to produce less advanced 8nm and 14nm chips, according to the market research firm.

In addition to TSMC, Samsung will face increasing competition from Intel Foundry Services (IFS), which started operations about a year ago. IFS plans to offer its own GAA-based process at its node 18-A this equates to 2 nm by 2024.

TSMC will start production of 2nm chips in 2025.

3D packaging

Samsung is accelerating the development of heterogeneous 2.5D/3D integration packaging for foundry customers.

The company said its X-Cube 3D packaging with micro-bump interconnect will be ready for production in 2024, and a bumpless version of X-Cube will be available in 2026.

Samsung is targeting the high-performance, low-power segments of HPC, automotive, 5G, and Internet of Things. The company will enhance its GAA-based 3nm process support for HPC and mobile, while diversifying a custom 4nm process for HPC and automotive applications.

For automotive customers, Samsung provides built-in non-volatile memory (eNVM) process based on 28 nm technology. The company plans to expand process nodes by launching 14nm eNVM solutions in 2024 and adding 8nm eNVM at an undisclosed date.

Samsung is in the process of producing 8nm RF, with 5nm RF in development.

The company said it plans to triple its Advanced Node production capacity by 2027.

Samsung’s foundry facilities are located in South Korea and Texas.