Samsung Electronics has updated its AI chip roadmap, introducing two new nodes in addition to a new AI turnkey service that will bring together the company’s foundry, memory, and advanced packaging technology (AVP) businesses.
The announcements were made this week during the company’s annual Samsung Foundry Forum (SFF) event in San Jose, California.
The two new nodes have been dubbed the SF2Z and SF4U. The SF2Z will be made using the company’s 2nm process and will incorporate backside power delivery network technology to eliminate bottlenecks between the power and signal lines, while also reducing voltage drop.
The SF4U will be made using the 4nm process and will offer power, performance, and area improvements through the incorporation of optical shrink – the scaling down of a chip to reduce the overall footprint size of the package.
Mass production of the SF4U is scheduled for 2025, while the SF2Z is slated to be available from 2027.
Samsung confirmed that preparations for its SF1.4 (1.4nm-class) are “progressing smoothly,” with mass production of those chips scheduled for 2027. The company also noted that it was entering its third year of mass-producing chips using the gate-all-around (GAA) process, and will be incorporating the technology into its upcoming 2nm process.
Earlier this week it was reported that the US government is considering expanding export sanctions to China to include technology that allows for the production of GAA.
Gate-all-around technology improves the density of chips while delivering power and performance benefits. In May 2023, Samsung, which built its 3nm chips on the technology, said the process provided up to a 45 percent area reduction while providing 30 percent higher performance and 50 percent lower power consumption compared to TSMC’s three-nanometer foundry process.
Samsung to offer "one-stop" AI chip solution
At its SFF event, Samsung unveiled its new turnkey AI platform, which it is calling Samsung AI Solutions.
By bringing together its foundry, memory, and AVP businesses, Samsung claims the cross-collaboration offered by the platform will streamline supply chain management, reduce time to market, and improve total turnaround time by 20 percent.
The company is also planning to introduce an all-in-one CPO (co-packaged optics) integrated AI solution in 2027 which it said will provide customers with “one-stop AI solutions.” Samsung said its Foundry AI sales have increased by 80 percent in the past year and the company is looking to further diversify its customer base and application areas through its updated roadmap.
“At a time when numerous technologies are evolving around AI, the key to its implementation lies in high-performance, low-power semiconductors,” said Dr. Siyoung Choi, president and head of foundry business at Samsung Electronics.
“Alongside our proven GAA process optimized for AI chips, we plan to introduce integrated, co-packaged optics (CPO) technology for high-speed, low-power data processing, providing our customers with the one-stop AI solutions they need to thrive in this transformative era,” he added.
