The incessant setbacks that Samsung faced when bringing up the yields of its 3nm GAA process surely meant that the Korean foundry would find little to no success when pursuing mass production of 2nm GAA wafers, but you would be surprised what the company can accomplish when it faces adversity.
A new report states that analysts have praised Samsung’s comeback in picking up the yields of its cutting-edge note, stating that the progress is much better compared to the obstacles it had to deal with on the 3nm GAA technology. Unfortunately, there is a ton of room for improvement, and Samsung does not have the luxury of time on its hands.
A previous update mentioned that during the trial production of its next-generation Exynos SoC, Samsung’s 2nm GAA yields were at 30 percent
TSMC, Samsung’s biggest competitor in the foundry race, was previously reported to have achieved a 60 percent yield during the trial production of its 2nm process, meaning that Samsung would have its hands full in bridging the technological gap between its rivals. However, the Korean behemoth has fared better than the impression conjured up by the industry, as a test production run of the upcoming Exynos 2600 on the 2nm GAA node achieved an impressive 30 percent yield.
There is much work yet to be done before Samsung can confidently showcase this technology to potential customers and take back its lost market share, but time is not on the company’s side. According to Chosun, details spotted by the tipster @Jukanlosreve mention that Samsung has an estimated 10 months remaining before it would need to kick off actual production of 2nm GAA wafers. Fortunately, analysts believe that Samsung’s progress is significantly better this time, meaning that it may still have a chance to produce healthy yields to the point that potential clients show interest.
The foundry division had already started installing equipment to build a 2nm GAA production line at the ‘S3’ chain in the Hwaseong plant during the fourth quarter of last year. The current plan is to repurpose the existing 3nm GAA line, which can produce around 15,000 sheets per month based on 12-inch wafers, to a 2nm line. For customers, test production could happen as early as this year, and whatever progress Samsung makes or does not make, we will update our readers accordingly.
News Source: Chosun
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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