The tumultuous journey that Samsung had to endure regarding its 3nm GAA process will eventually be succeeded by the Korean giant’s first-generation 2nm GAA node, with the Exynos 2600 expected to be the company’s first SoC mass produced on this architecture. However, even if Samsung defies critics by scaling past the yields obstacle, one industry insider says that the firm’s true success or failure will depend on the second-generation 2nm process, which currently goes ‘SF2P.’ So far, TSMC is the only other manufacturer that is scheduled to commence full-scale production of wafers on the aforementioned lithography, meaning that it will be an exciting time by the end of the year.
Interest has already been garnered for Samsung’s SF2P technology, with Tesla reportedly utilizing the architecture for its AI6 chip
In July of this year, Samsung was reported to have secured a whopping $16.5 billion deal with Tesla, in which the semiconductor manufacturer would supply the technological automaker with chips fabricated on the 2nm GAA process. The company had finally caught its big break, and if everything progresses smoothly, Samsung could carve out a path in materializing a meaningful partnership with its new customer.
According to ZDNet, the Korean behemoth’s primary goal is to mass produce Tesla’s AI6, a new chip for its next-generation FSD (Full Self-Driving) system, robotics, and data center. The SF2P process is scheduled to enter mass production sometime next year and is estimated to deliver a 12 percent performance bump, plus a 25 percent power efficiency improvement over the first-generation 2nm node. Samsung has reportedly already completed the basic design of SF2P, suggesting that it is laser-focused on bringing its foundry business to stand ‘toe to toe’ with TSMC.
The latest report does not provide information regarding the yields of the second-generation 2nm process, but for the time being, Samsung needs to focus on the first iteration. One unnamed insider has said that SF2P will determine the success or failure of Samsung’s position in the bleeding-edge foundry space, but the yields have yet to be stabilized.
“SF2P is a process that determines the success or failure of Samsung Electronics’ cutting-edge foundry process, and is also closely related to its own mobile AP (application processor), ‘Exynos.’ The yield has not yet stabilized, but through continuous task execution, it will become more sophisticated in earnest in the second half of this year.”
Samsung anticipates demand for 2nm wafers to last up to four years, which is why the company was previously reported to have begun development work on the third-generation 2nm process, also known as SF2P+, with the intention of implementing the technology in a span of two years.
News Source: ZDNet
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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