Samsung Advances Leading-Edge Process Technology: 2nm Yield Exceeds 60%, Targeting 1nm by 2030

Samsung is fully advancing its advanced semiconductor process strategy, with its 2nm yield rising above 60%. The company has set the introduction of a 1nm process as its next-phase goal for 2030, aiming to narrow the gap with Taiwan Semiconductor in the high-end foundry market.

According to a report by South Korea's The Korea Economic Daily, citing sources, Samsung's foundry division has clearly set the introduction of its 1nm process for 2030, at which time it will introduce the all-new forksheet architecture technology. Concurrently, the company's 2nm process yield has reached as high as over 60%, demonstrating significant improvements in production efficiency. There is widespread expectation that its foundry business will achieve profitability this year.

The breakthrough in yield has directly boosted market confidence in Samsung's foundry business. The report also disclosed that Samsung has developed a customized SF2T process for Tesla's 2nm AI chip "AI6," which is expected to begin mass production in 2027 at the new Taylor wafer fab in Texas, further solidifying its high-end customer lineup.

Meanwhile, major wafer foundries such as Taiwan Semiconductor and Rapidus are also accelerating their respective 1nm technology roadmaps, as the global competition in advanced processes continues to heat up.

2nm Yield Improvement Boosts Foundry Profitability Expectations

According to sources cited by The Korea Economic Daily, Samsung's 2nm process yield has now reached a peak of over 60%, and the substantial improvement in production efficiency is considered a key factor supporting the foundry business's turn to profitability this year. Improved yield means an increase in the number of usable chips per wafer, directly compressing unit costs and significantly enhancing Samsung's bargaining power in the competitive foundry market.

To further solidify its customer base, Samsung is actively expanding its lineup of 2nm process variants. Samsung is tailoring the SF2T process for Tesla's 2nm AI chip "AI6," with mass production planned for 2027 at the Taylor facility in Texas.

Regarding other variants, the SF2P process is planned to be applied to the next-generation smartphone application processors (APs) of Samsung's System LSI division starting in 2026; the further performance-enhanced SF2P+ is expected to be put into use in 2027. By building a matrix of process variants for different application scenarios, Samsung aims to cover diverse needs from mobile computing to AI inference, enhancing its attractiveness to major customers.

Toward 1nm: Forksheet Architecture as Key Technological Support

On the 1nm technology roadmap, Samsung plans to introduce the forksheet architecture to break through the physical limits of existing Gate-All-Around (GAA) technology. GAA technology effectively improves power efficiency compared to traditional three-sided solutions by allowing current to flow along all four sides of the transistor channel, and it has already been applied by Samsung to its 2nm process.

The forksheet architecture further compresses the spacing between GAA transistors on this basis—by introducing an insulating isolation wall between transistors, similar to replacing the gaps between houses with solid partitions, it allows for more transistors within the same chip area, achieving higher integration density. Notably, it is reported that Taiwan Semiconductor also plans to adopt the forksheet structure in its 1nm process after 2030, meaning Samsung is expected to compete more equitably with the industry leader on key technological routes.

Global 1nm Race Heats Up, Taiwan Semiconductor and Rapidus Accelerate Layout

Samsung is not the only wafer foundry betting on 1nm technology. According to Nikkei XTech, Rapidus Chief Technology Officer Kazunari Ishimaru stated that the company aims to shorten the technology gap with Taiwan Semiconductor to about six months at the 1nm node. Rapidus plans to start research and development of 1.4nm semiconductor manufacturing technology in 2026, with a mass production goal set around 2029.

On the part of Taiwan Semiconductor, progress is even further ahead. Taiwan Semiconductor's 1nm process is expected to be the first to be implemented in the Central Taiwan Science Park, with the first wafer fab expected to complete trial production as early as late 2027 and transition to mass production in the second half of 2028. If Taiwan Semiconductor's schedule proceeds as planned, it will be about two years ahead of Samsung. However, as Samsung's 2nm yield continues to improve and its 1nm roadmap becomes clearer, the strategic outline for catching up with Taiwan Semiconductor has become increasingly evident.