Samsung is ready to start mass production of third-generation 4nm chipsets

Samsung Semiconductor has been given the green light to proceed with mass production of third-generation 4nm chipsets, Korean sources reveal. The company has managed to achieve satisfactory wafer yield from next-generation chipsets, which should help reduce power consumption.

The manufacturing process should start by the end of the first half of 2023, i.e. in three months.

Samsung Semiconductor factory in South Korea

Single-wafer yields were extremely low at the Hwaseong plant, prompting chip companies such as Qualcomm to contract TSMC for the 4nm platforms. The Taiwanese company had about 70-80% usable wafers, while Samsung barely managed to reach 60%, and since manufacturers pay for the whole wafer, it’s more viable to go with the manufacturer with less production waste.

The next leap in advanced processing technology is 3nm, and Apple is expected to launch its iPhone 15 Pro devices with such platforms. Business Korea cited a study by Counterpoint, which found that 4nm and 5nm processes are among the most widely used in mobile devices at 22%, followed by 6nm and 7nm chips at 16%.

Production of 4nm chips is expected to increase further in the future as Samsung and TSMC are building factories in the United States that will be ready for operation in 2024.

Source