Samsung to Complete Design of Second-Gen 2nm GAA Process

Samsung's progress in the first-generation 2nm Gate-All-Around (GAA) process indicates a gradual recovery in its semiconductor foundry business, with potential to compete closely with industry leader TSMC in the coming years. According to a recent report, Samsung has completed the basic design of its second-generation 2nm GAA node, known as SF2P, which will power a variety of applications, including the upcoming Exynos 2700 SoC.

The SF2P process represents a strategic move by Samsung to strengthen its position in the wafer fabrication sector. Following the launch of prototype production for the Exynos 2600, Samsung's LSI and semiconductor divisions aim to achieve a 50% yield rate within a few months. These milestones suggest positive momentum, with Samsung and design partners actively promoting the SF2P technology.

Mass production is targeted for 2026, contingent on successful trial runs, with plans to incorporate the second-generation 2nm GAA node into future Exynos chips. Compared to the first generation, SF2P offers significant improvements: 12% higher performance, 25% lower power consumption, and an 8% reduction in chip area. Industry insiders also identify Qualcomm as a potential adopter.

The report further highlights Qualcomm's plans to launch a custom Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 chip tailored for Samsung's Galaxy smartphones, which is expected to be manufactured using Samsung's advanced 2nm GAA technology. This move aligns with Qualcomm’s strategy to diversify production sources between Samsung and TSMC.