Samsung has announced that its has completed development of a 5nm semiconductor process using its extreme ultraviolet (EUV) technology. Compared to its EUV-based 7nm process, the new 5nm process will make chips 25 percent smaller and 20 percent more power efficient.
Commercial production begins next year
Samsung started the mass production of its 7nm process earlier this year. The company has already provided commercial samples to its customers, who will now be able to reuse their 7nm intellectual property rights to 5nm. This enables a shortened 5nm product development time, along with reduced migration costs. Samsung hopes to begin the commercial production of the new process sometime in 2020. The South Korean tech giant also has a 6nm process in the works. It will go into mass production by the end on this year.
Samsung currently manufactures its EUV-based process technologies at the S3-line in Hwaseong, Korea. The company will be expanding the production to a new EUV line in Hwaseong next year. The new production plant is expected to be completed by the end of 2019.
Samsung has been lately focused on the non-memory chip and foundry business in a bid to resurrect its declining profits. The company recently began mass production of its 5G network chips and is now proving its industry leadership with the new 5nm process nodes.
