This week, Samsung Electronics introduced that its 5-nanometer(nm) FinFET course of know-how based mostly on EUV lithography is now prepared for manufacturing. This is a exceptional accomplishment and testomony to the aptitude of our colleagues on the S3 wafer fab in Hwaseong, Korea and their provide chain companions.
For me, what’s most fun about this milestone is that it highlights how far the semiconductor trade improvements have come right now and supplies a glimpse into the evolutions that may form the trade of tomorrow.
Consider that the 5nm course of is right here in simply six months after final October’s unveiling of the primary industrial utility of EUV in our 7nm course of. It’s a fast progress made attainable largely by working hundreds of wafer layers by means of EUV publicity techniques every week. Hands-on expertise is the one method to ascend the EUV studying curve, and that physique of information is rising each day.
In the educational course of, we’re seeing one of many greatest and broadest advantages of EUV – the simplification of design by transferring away from more and more advanced multi-patterning lithography methods. While nonetheless early, it’s more and more clear that the lowered variety of masks steps and extra simple course of is nothing wanting a revolution for silicon designers. Sighs of aid will probably be heard as EUV will probably be seamlessly included into the prevailing design architectures.
Samsung’s 5nm is the subsequent step within the evolution of EUV. 5nm will probably be extra environment friendly and have new improvements together with Samsung’s proprietary Smart Diffusion Break (SDB) transistor structure. One of crucial facets of 5nm is that it helps 25 % space discount and 10 % efficiency enchancment or 20 % energy discount than 7nm.
Also, it will likely be largely design-rule suitable with the prevailing design of 7nm. Therefore, it’s primarily a recharacterization of the know-how, not redesign, which can considerably cut back time and the price of implementation. This mixture of technological advance and financial benefit may be very a lot consistent with a grand custom of the semiconductor trade.
This merging of technological development and financial advantages may be very a lot consistent with the grand custom within the semiconductor trade in addition to applied sciences together with 5G, AI, Connected & Automotive, Robot, and so on. – consistently serving as a catalyst for the fourth industrial revolution, whereas concurrently driving prices down. That’s why the evolution-moment of 5nm is, in its personal distinctive method, as essential because the innovation-moment of 7LPP.
Bringing EUV into manufacturing has been a protracted, difficult course of. It required substantial funding of time, cash, and human assets. While there have been actually moments of doubt alongside the best way, we needed to pursue our imaginative and prescient. The 5nm announcement presents compelling proof for the worth of the funding. As companies from various fields together with Foundry, Fabless, the Design House, Packaging, Tests, and so on., the semiconductor ecosystem will develop stronger. This is a brand new chapter for the semiconductor trade, and we’re excited to be a part of the continued journey in innovation.
