Samsung already produces the first experimental chips in 3nm GAAFET
The evolution of lithography for processors is evolving at an amazing speed. TSMC this year will start manufacturing the first 5nm chips, specifically Apple's SoCs for iPhones. South Korean media Maeil Economy assures that Samsung has already produced the first 3nm GAAFET chips. As is logical, this lithographic process is still green and there is still a long way to go before it is a functional process.
The 3nm GAAFET (Gate All Around) lithographic process reduces the size of silicon by 35 percent compared to 5nm FinFET. Other improvements is the reduction of consumption by 50 percent. A yield increase of approximately 33 percent is also expected.
[amazon box="B078WQT6S6"]Samsung already produces 3nm GAAFET chips on an experimental basis
Samsung has now lost its dominant position in the Asian semiconductor market, surpassed by TSMC. This is primarily because TSMC produces a large number of chips for AMD, Apple, HiSilicon (Huawei), Qualcomm, NVIDIA, and others. It is true, however, that Samsung also manufactures memory and other components in addition to processors.
The company wants to make the leap to 3nm GAAFET by next year, an extremely ambitious plan. Samsung does not have a 5nm lithographic process, despite having made a large investment. It is true that the company seems to have no concern about recovering the investment in said lithography. The company recently said they wanted to become the largest semiconductor manufacturer by 2030.
GAAFET differs from FinFET in that it has a construction of four gates, one on each side of the channel. The FinFET is based on a 3-gate design. The new GAAFET design guarantees the reduction of energy leaks and improves control over the channel. Something very important to keep in mind when reducing lithographic processes.
The more the lithograph size is reduced, the greater the risk of electron skipping. As there is less and less space between the gates of the transistors, making electromigration between gates more likely. But redesigns and the inclusion of other materials help eliminate or at least reduce this problem.
Source: TH
