Samsung Foundry, a leading provider of advanced semiconductor technology, recently held its annual Samsung Foundry Forum (SFF) in Munich, Germany. At the event, the company unveiled its impressive range of automotive process solutions, including the highly advanced 2-nanometer process and the 8-inch legacy process.
Alongside its customers and partners from the Samsung Advanced Foundry Ecosystem (SAFE), Samsung Electronics showcased the latest technological trends and discussed its business strategy tailored specifically for the European market. Dr. Siyoung Choi, President and Head of Foundry Business at Samsung Electronics, emphasized the company’s commitment to innovation in next-generation solutions that meet the evolving needs of its automotive customers, particularly as electric vehicles gain prominence. Samsung Foundry aims to provide distinguished service across various solutions, such as power semiconductors, microcontrollers, and advanced AI chips for autonomous driving.
The event in Munich follows Samsung Electronics’ participation in the IAA Mobility 2023 event in September. This engagement further solidifies the company’s standing as a leading foundry partner for the automotive industry in Europe.
Samsung is at the forefront of developing groundbreaking applications with its advanced embedded Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory (eMRAM) technology. In response to the latest advancements in the automotive market, the company is working on creating the industry’s first 5-nanometer eMRAM for next-generation automotive technology. eMRAM facilitates high read and write speeds while offering superior heat resistance. Samsung Electronics already made significant strides in this area by developing and mass-producing the industry’s first 28nm FD-SOI (Fully Depleted Silicon On Insulator) based eMRAM in 2019. Currently, Samsung Foundry is expanding its eMRAM portfolio, with plans to introduce 14nm by 2024, 8nm by 2026, and 5nm by 2027. The 8nm eMRAM, in particular, exhibits the potential for a 30% increase in density and a 33% increase in speed compared to the 14nm process.
Samsung Electronics also shared its advanced process roadmap at the event. The company aims to achieve mass production readiness for its cutting-edge 2nm process for automotive applications by 2026. Moreover, Samsung is committed to enhancing its capability to serve customer needs by expanding its 8-inch Bipolar-CMOS-DMOS (BCD) process portfolio. BCD combines three different process technologies, namely Bipolar, CMOS, and DMOS, into a single chip, making it ideal for power semiconductor production. Samsung plans to expand its current 130nm automotive BCD process to incorporate the 90nm process by 2025, enabling a 20% reduction in chip area.
In a bid to maximize the performance of power semiconductors, Samsung Foundry is implementing Deep Trench Isolation (DTI) technology, which decreases the distance between each transistor. This will allow for the application of a higher voltage of 120V, compared to the current 70V, across a wider range of applications. By 2025, Samsung plans to provide a process development kit (PDK) that integrates the 120V capability into the 130nm BCD process.
Samsung is also actively driving “Beyond-Moore” innovation through its Advanced Packaging Alliance. The company has formed the Multi-Die Integration (MDI) Alliance in collaboration with its SAFE partners and major players in the industry, including memory, package substrate, and testing providers. With this alliance, Samsung is leading the development of 2.5D and 3D packaging solutions tailored to various applications, from automotive to high-performance computing.
To extend the reach of the Samsung Foundry Forum, the company has already hosted similar events in the United States, South Korea, and Japan. The content from the forum will be accessible on the Samsung Semiconductor website starting November 2, allowing worldwide access for all visitors interested in the latest advancements in Samsung’s semiconductor technology.
