At this time, Samsung Electronics and TSMC plan to develop 3nm technology research and development. According to reports, at the IEEE International Solid State Chip Conference (ISSCC), Samsung engineers shared the manufacturing details of the upcoming MBCFET 3nm GAE chip.
GAAFETs (full ring gate field effect transistors) come in two types in terms of structure and are an upgraded version of the current FinFET. Samsung said the traditional GAAFET process uses three layers of nanowires to build the transistors, and the gate is relatively thin. In addition, Samsung's MBCFET chip process uses nanosheets to build transistors. At this time, Samsung has already registered a trademark for MBCFET. Samsung has said that both methods can reach 3nm, but it depends on the specific design.
The idea of the first GAAFET transistor was proposed back in 1988. This technology allows designers to precisely control performance and power consumption by adjusting the width of the transistor channel. Wider materials contribute to increased performance at high power; while thinner materials can reduce power consumption, but this affects performance.
Samsung demonstrated the principles of the 3GAE process in 2019. According to the company, compared to 7LPP technology, 3GAE can achieve a 30% improvement in performance. A 50% reduction in power and an 80% increase in transistor density is also achieved.
Samsung to mass-produce 3nm chips in 2022: aims to overtake TSMC
Samsung and TSMC are the only two companies capable of making chips using the 5nm process. However, Samsung seems to be overshadowed by TSMC, but it is putting up a good fight. According to recent reports, Samsung Electronics is trying to catch up with TSMC. The South Korean manufacturing giant plans to mass produce 3nm chips in 2022.
Samsung Electronics CEO Park Jae-hon said at an event recently that the company has set a target of mass production of 3-nanometer chips in 2022. The CEO stated that the company is already developing pre-design tools with key partners. The company has currently invested $116 billion in its next-generation chip business. This includes the production of chips for external consumers.
Earlier, Samsung Electronics leader Li Zayun reported that the company plans to use the latest 3-nanometer gate (GAA) process technology, which is being developed to produce state-of-the-art chips and provide them to customers around the world.
As we all know, the company has started mass production of 5nm chips and is developing a 4nm process. Samsung Electronics is currently the second largest chip foundry industry. This is second only to TSMC, which holds the leading position with a 52% market share as of last year.
Regarding the competition between TSMC and Samsung Electronics, TSMC founder Zhang Zhongmou believes that Samsung Electronics is a very powerful opponent. At this time, TSMC has the upper hand, but the war between TSMC and Samsung is definitely not over.
