Samsung’s 4nm yield rate is rumored to catch up with TSMC

Samsung Electronics' 4nm foundry process has reported that its yield rate has grown faster than industry expectations and continues to catch up with TSMC. After the Google smartphone Pixel 8 is launched in the second half of 2023, Samsung's wafer foundry performance will be able to be evaluated in detail.

Korean media Seoul Economy quoted Korean industry sources as saying that Samsung's 4nm process yield rate has improved significantly recently. Compared with TSMC's 4nm yield rate, which is estimated to be about 80%, Samsung's yield rate has increased from the previously estimated 60% to more than 70%. .

Revegnus, a well-known IT whistleblower, even cited the minutes of Apple’s management team meeting and said that Samsung’s 4nm yield rate is estimated to be close to that of TSMC.

Relevant news also echoes the recent rumors that Samsung’s 12-inch wafer foundry utilization rate has increased from 80% to 90% due to the improvement in 4~5nm process yield. Samsung previously stated in its "2022 Business Report" that it has ensured stable yield rates for the second and third generations of the 4nm process and is preparing for mass production in the first half of 2023.

Samsung's 4nm process started with 4LPE. Although it faced a tough battle due to low yield at the time, it is reported that the subsequent second and third generations (4LPP, 4LPP+) will comprehensively upgrade performance, power consumption, and area, and the yield rate will be greatly improved. Samsung will produce Google's next-generation smartphone Pixel 8 application processor (AP) "Tensor 3" using a 4nm process. It is expected that the performance of Samsung's wafer foundry business will be specifically evaluated after the product is launched in the second half of 2023.

Samsung aims to catch up with TSMC’s technology and mass production capabilities gap in the 4nm field, and launch advanced competition in the 3nm field. Previously, Samsung used GAA technology for the first time to lead the industry in mass production of the 3nm process. It is expected that competition with TSMC for technology dominance will become more intense in the future.