Samsung on Friday demonstrated the trade’s first chip made utilizing its 3 nm-class course of expertise that includes gate-all-around sort transistors to Joe Biden and Yoon Suk-yeol, presidents of the U.S. and South Korea. The corporate is on monitor to begin high-volume manufacturing of chips utilizing its 3GAE expertise in Q2 2022.
On Friday, Joe Biden arrived on the U.S. Osan Air Base in South Korea and instantly headed to Samsung’s flagship semiconductor manufacturing facility close to Pyeongtaek, which is presently the world’s solely fab that may produce chips utilizing the corporate’s 3 nm-class course of expertise. South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol joined President Biden on the chip plant, reviews The Korea Financial Every day.
There is no such thing as a phrase which 3nm chip was proven to the U.S. chief and whether or not it was a reside demonstration or a static showcase. Protecting in thoughts that Samsung Foundry is about to begin HVM utilizing its 3GAE node this quarter, it most likely has working samples of its 3nm system-on-chip(s), although particulars of the demo are unknown.
“I have simply seen how this plant makes probably the most superior semiconductor chips on the planet,” stated Biden. “They are a surprise of innovation and design, precision and manufacturing. “[…] In the case of probably the most superior chips, like those made right here at Samsung — it is just one of solely three firms on the planet that makes these chips. It is an unbelievable — an unbelievable achievement.”
One vital facet of the fab close to Pyeongtaek is that it represents an excellent instance of worldwide collaboration in modern semiconductor manufacturing. The fab makes use of excessive ultraviolet (EUV) lithography instruments developed and constructed within the Netherlands that depend on gentle sources designed and made in america. The fab additionally closely makes use of modern gear produced by U.S.-based firms Utilized Supplies, KLA, and LAM Analysis in addition to many instruments in-built South Korea. In the meantime, most digital design automation instruments used to design chips produced at gigafabs just like the one close to Pyeongtaek additionally originate from america.
“This plant additionally displays the shut bonds in innovation between our international locations,” stated President Biden. “A lot of the expertise and equipment that’s used to make these chips was designed and produced in america. By uniting our expertise and our technological know-how, it permits the manufacturing of chips which can be essential to each our international locations and are important sectors of our world financial system.”
Samsung claims that its 3GAE course of will allow a 30% efficiency enhance or a 50% energy consumption discount together with an as much as 80% increased transistor density improve (together with a mixture of logic and SRAM transistors) in comparison with its 7LPP fabrication expertise.