Report explains why Samsung Foundry’s 2nm chips subsequent yr shall be extra highly effective and energy-efficient

EUV is the intense ultraviolet lithography machine made by one firm in the entire world, Dutch agency ASML. The machine etches circuitry patterns onto silicon wafers utilizing extraordinarily skinny strains to assist with the position of elements positioned inside a chip. A number of layers are required for the processors utilized in smartphones. 

Samsung Foundry at present makes use of 20 EUV layers with its present 3nm manufacturing and a 30% improve would end in 26 layers for its 2nm chips. Extra EUV layers ought to end in extra transistors discovered inside a chip making the SoC capable of deal with extra advanced duties whereas consuming much less battery energy.

Waiting for 2027 when Samsung Foundry is anticipated to start manufacturing utilizing its 1.4nm node, the variety of EUV layers is anticipated to rise to greater than 30. And as soon as once more the transistor rely will rise and software processors shall be extra highly effective and energy-efficient than they’re in the present day. Samsung Foundry’s chief rival is trade chief TSMC and the Taiwan-based foundry makes use of as much as 25 EUV layers for its present 3nm (N3x) manufacturing.

Samsung Foundry began using EUV lithography in 2018 when it moved from 10nm to 7nm. Earlier than EUV lithography, the trade used DUV (or deep ultraviolet) lithography. Samsung Foundry can also be utilizing EUV for DRAM manufacturing with seven layers used within the manufacturing of its Gen 6 10nm DRAM chip. SK Hynix, one other DRAM designer and producer, makes use of 5 EUV layers.

ASML expects to ship 60 of those first-generation EUV lithography machines this yr. | Picture credit-ASML

ASML is anticipating to ship much more EUV lithography machines this yr. Every one is the scale of a faculty bus and prices as much as $183 million for the previous-generation mannequin and as much as $380 million for the Excessive-NA second-gen machine. TSMC will reportedly obtain 70 first-generation EUV machines from ASML in 2024 and 2025 because of the sturdy demand for chips produced utilizing its 3nm and 2nm nodes. Like Samsung Foundry, TSMC will begin producing 2nm chips subsequent yr with its 1.4nm node anticipated to be employed in 2027-2028.

Whereas the previous-generation EUV machines have an aperture of .33, the Excessive NA machines have an aperture of .55. Utilizing the Excessive-NA machine, a better decision sample is transferred to a wafer so {that a} foundry would not must run a wafer by means of the EUV machine twice so as to add further options. This protects each money and time. Samsung Foundry has reportedly bought at the very least one Excessive-NA lithography machine however TSMC refuses to buy one of many new era EUV machines for now.