Samsung will commence production of 3nm chips in H1 2022, the company announced during the Samsung Foundry Forum event. The first chips plastered with gate-all-around (GAA) transistors, which the Korean chipmaker and foundry calls multi-bridge-channel FETs (MBCFETs), were originally slated to enter volume production in H2 2021. The company didn’t explain the delay.
According to Samsung, the 3nm GAA process utilizing MBCFETs will allow up to 35 percent decrease in area, 30 percent higher performance or 50 percent lower power consumption compared to the 5nm process. In addition to these power, performance and area (PPA) improvements, the process maturity has increased. Samsung 3nm’s logic yield is approaching a similar level to its 4nm process, which is currently in mass production.
In 2023, Samsung will introduce an updated 3nm process. Newly added to its technology roadmap, the 2nm MBCFET process node is in the early stages of development, with mass production in 2025.