Feed: AnandTech
Feed Link: https://www.anandtech.com
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Title: Samsung Foundry Unveils Updated Roadmap: BSPDN and 2nm Evolution
Through 2027

Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2024 07:00:00 EDT
Link: https://www.anandtech.com/show/21444/samsung-...

Samsung this week has unveiled its latest process technologies roadmap at the
company's Samsung Foundry Forum (SFF) U.S. The new plan covers the evolution
of Samsung's 2nm-class production nodes through 2027, including a process
technology with a backside power delivery, re-emphasizing plans to bring out
a 1.4nm-class node in 2027, and the introduction of a 'high value' 4nm-class
manufacturing tech.

Samsung Foundry's key announcements for today are clearly focused on the its
2nm-class process technologies, which are set to enter production in 2025 and
will span to 2027, when the company's 1.4-nm class production node is set to
enter the scene. Samsung is also adding (or rather, renaming) another 2nm-
class node to their roadmap with SF2, which was previously disclosed by
Samsung as SF3P and aimed at high-performance devices.

"We have refined and improved the SF3P, resulting in what we now refer to as
SF2," a Samsung spokesperson told AnandTech. "This enhanced node incorporates
various process design improvements, delivering notable power, performance,
and area (PPA) benefits."

Samsung Foundry for Leading-Edge Nodes
Announced on June 12, 2024
Compiled by AnandTech HVM Start 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2027 Process SF3E
SF3 SF2
(aka SF3P) SF2P/SF2X SF2Z SF1.4 FET GAAFET Power Delivery Frontside Backside
(BSPDN) ? EUV 0.33 NA EUV ? ? ? ?

This is another example of a rebranding of leading-edge fabrication nodes in
the recent years by a major chipmaker. Samsung Foundry is not disclosing any
specific PPA improvements SF3P has over SF2, and for now is only stating in
high-level terms that it will be a better-performing node than the planned
SF3P.

Meanwhile, this week's announcement also includes new information on
Samsung's next batch of process nodes, which are planned for 2026 and 2027.
In 2026 Samsung will have SF2P, a further refinement of SF2 which
incorporates 'faster' yet less dense transistors. That will be followed up in
2027 with SF2Z, which adds backside power delivery to the mix for better and
higher quality power delivery. In particular, Samsung is targetting voltate
drop (aka IR drop) here, which is an ongoing concern in chip design.

Finally, SF1.4, a 1.4nm-class node, is on track for 2027 as well.
Interestingly, however, it looks like it does not feature a backside power
delivery. Which, per current roadmaps, would have Samsung as the only foundry
not using BSPDN for their first 1.4nm/14�-class node.

"We have optimized BSPDN and incorporated it for the first time in the SF2Z
node we announced today," the spokesperson told us. "We will continue to
refine this technology and apply it to future nodes, but we don't have a
specific timeline to share at this time."

Chip Fab Roadmaps for Leading-Edge Nodes
Data announced during conference calls, events, press briefings and press
releases.
Compiled by AnandTech HVM Start 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 Intel Process Intel
3 Intel 20A Intel 18A Intel 14A Intel 10A FET FinFET RibbonFET (GAAFET) Power
Frontside PowerVia (BSPDN) EUV 0.33 NA EUV 0.55 NA EUV + DSA Samsung Process
SF3E SF3 SF2 SF2P/SF2X SF2Z/SF1.4 FET GAAFET Power Frontside Backside/? EUV
0.33 NA EUV ? ? ? TSMC Process N3E/N3P N3S/N3X N2 A16 A14 (?) FET FinFET
GAAFET Power Frontside Super Power Rail (BSPDN) EUV 0.33 NA EUV ?

When compared to other contract fabs, Samsung's roadmap is now roughly in
line with the rest in regards to 'nanometer' designations. Though absent
further technical disclosures from Samsung, it remains unclear what the
actual benefits will be for each node and how they compare to their
predecessors, let alone how they'll compare to Intel Foundry and TSMC.

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