Samsung has recently showcased its newest foundry advancements and shared its vision for the AI era at an event held at their Device Solutions America headquarters in San Jose, California.
To compete in the AI industry, Samsung has been focusing on developing future process nodes and has reportedly achieved some milestones. The company is introducing three new process nodes – SF2Z, SF1.4, and SF4U. As inferred from their names, these are Samsung’s most advanced 2nm, 1.4nm, and 4nm process nodes to date. These nodes will be integrated into the Samsung AI Solutions platform.
GAA Process and Co-Packaged Optics
In addition to the GAA process, which the company claims is ideal for AI accelerators, Samsung plans to introduce integrated, co-packaged optics (CPO) technology aimed at high-speed, low-power data processing. This was revealed by Dr. Siyoung Choi, President and Head of Foundry Business at Samsung Electronics.
The Latest 2nm Process – SF2Z
Samsung’s latest 2nm process, SF2Z, includes optimized backside power delivery network (BSPDN) technology. The new process places power rails on the backside of the wafer to eliminate bottlenecks between power and signal lines.
Thanks to the BSPDN technology, SF2Z offers better performance compared to SE2, the first-generation 2nm process node. Additionally, SF2Z significantly reduces voltage drop (IR drop), boosting the performance of HPC designs. Samsung mentioned that mass production for the SF2Z process node would begin in 2027.
New 4nm and 1.4nm Nodes
“SF4U is a high-value 4nm variant that provides PPA improvements by incorporating optical shrink,” noted the company. Mass production for this node is scheduled for 2025.
Furthermore, a 1.4nm node (SF1.4) is also under development, with progress moving “smoothly.” This smallest of the three nodes is also set for mass production by 2027.
