Samsung announces that it has already developed its new 3nm FinFET lithographic process
Samsung announced the new 3nm GAA lithography far ahead of TSMC and its 5nm FinFET lithographic process.
Less than two weeks left for AMD to present the architecture Zen2 @ 7nm for the Ryzen 3000. In addition, in less than a month, during E3 2019 the new Navi @ 7nm should be presented by AMD. They will be the first processors and the first graphics designed for the gaming market. A few days ago TSMC said that by next year it would start producing 7nm chips. Now it has been Samsung who has given news regarding its lithographic processes, announcing the 3nm.
Samsung announces 3nm lithography
The largest foundry on the market today is TSMC. Samsung ranks as the second largest foundry, with GlobalFoundries falling from grace. There are even rumors that Samsung bought GlobalFoundries. Currently the production of silicon chips is dominated by TSMC with a 50% market share, while Samsung has a 15% market share.
The 3nm GAAFET (Gate-All-Around Field Effect Transistor) lithograph has been presented by the South Korean company. The company already offers potential clients the possibility to start developing new chips based on this new node. This 3nm process is the first in the industry to change the FinFET design for this new GAA process. What the new transistors offer is more control of the flow of electricity than the FinFET process, on such a small scale.
TSMC has its 5nm lithographic process ready, using new technology. These new processors will potentially be more expensive and would make companies adapt to this new chip.
Stiff competition in the silicon manufacturing market
Samsung's new GAA-based lithographic process maintains compatibility with FinFET nodes. Before entering such a small manufacturing process, it must go through four FinFET-based nodes. Currently Samsung offers nodes based on 7nm, 6nm, 5nm and 4nm, which is yet to reach the market.
TSMC currently offers the 7nm and 6nm nodes, the first being used in the new Ryzen 3000 Series processors and the upcoming Radeon Navi. The 6nm manufacturing process is compatible with 7nm manufacturing designs. TSMC should massively offer the 5nm nodes during the first half of 2020, if all goes according to plan.
Source: PCGN
