The gate-all-around (GAA) semiconductor manufacturing course of, also called gate-all-around field-effect transistor (GAA-FET) know-how, defies the efficiency limitations of FinFET by decreasing the provision voltage stage and enhancing efficiency with a lift in drive present functionality. In brief, the GAA know-how permits transistors to hold extra present whereas staying comparatively small.
The semiconductor trade transitioned from planar transistors to FinFET transistors when it moved from 22-nm to 16-nm course of node to decrease leakage, bolster drive currents, enhance scalability, speed up switching instances, and facilitate an general higher transistor of selection for semiconductor logic. The FinFET manufacturing know-how has scaled effectively from 22-nm chips all the best way all the way down to 5-nm chips.
Nevertheless, as anticipated, the flexibility to scale a FinFET course of is beginning to develop into prohibitive. Subsequently, new IC manufacturing course of applied sciences will probably be wanted to assist proceed silicon scaling. Right here, at this technological crossroads, GAA has emerged as probably the most viable post-FinFET transistor know-how. It offers important benefits in relation to transistors’ efficiency management.
Determine 1 The shift from planar to FinFET to GAA transistors marks a relentless know-how journey in semiconductor manufacturing. Supply: Lam Analysis
The primary GAA know-how was demonstrated in 1986; constructing GAA transistors in a lab was a lot simpler than manufacturing GAA-based chips on a scale. Samsung—which manufactured the primary GAA-enabled chip at a 3-nm processor node in the summertime of 2022—began analysis on GAA transistors within the early 2000s. The Korean chipmaker started experimenting with the GAA design in 2017 after which introduced the method know-how breakthrough in 2019.
GAA: A quick introduction
GAA, the next-generation semiconductor course of know-how, provides two distinctive benefits over FinFETs. First, GAA transistors remedy many challenges related to the leakage present since GAA channels are horizontal. The GAA know-how places a number of horizontal nanosheets or nanowires on high of each other and surrounds these channels with gate supplies on all sides. That, in flip, facilitates larger current-carrying capability than FinFET, which requires placing a number of vertical “fins” beside each other to extend the stream of electrical energy.
Determine 2 Within the GAA course of, a number of nanowires or nanosheets are horizontally stacked on high of each other, not like FinFET, which requires inserting a number of vertical “fins” beside each other to extend the stream of electrical energy. Supply: imec
Second, GAA transistors are surrounded by gates round all 4 sides. That improves the construction of a transistor by enabling a gate to contact all 4 sides of a transistor in comparison with the three sides within the present FinFET course of. In consequence, the GAA construction can management the present extra exactly than the FinFET course of.
It’s vital to notice that the GAA transistor structure is 90% just like FinFET, and the remaining 10% distinction comes from stacking horizontal nanosheets on high of each other. That ends in extra management over present stream, resulting in higher energy effectivity. In consequence, digital gadgets utilizing a GAA-based chip would run sooner and eat much less energy than chips manufactured utilizing the FinFET course of know-how.
Samsung vs. TSMC
Samsung—which unveiled the primary chip primarily based on this new manufacturing know-how in the summertime of 2022—calls its GAA taste Multi-Bridge-Channel FET (MBCFET). It makes use of nanosheets with wider channels, which, in response to Samsung, permits larger efficiency and higher vitality effectivity in comparison with GAA applied sciences utilizing nanowires with narrower channels.
On this nanosheet-based implementation, the width of the nanosheet is a key metric in defining the facility and efficiency traits. In different phrases, the upper the width, the upper the efficiency at larger energy. Consequently, transistor designs that concentrate on low energy can use smaller nanosheets, whereas logic that requires larger efficiency can go for the broader sheets.
Samsung, which has been engaged on its transition from FinFET for a number of years now, is reportedly getting poor yields with GAA course of design on its 3-nm course of node. Nevertheless, it’s no shock for such a big know-how shift. Samsung has already shipped its first batch of GAA-enabled chips, and a Chinese language crypto mining agency is the primary to obtain the brand new chips from Samsung.
Determine 3 Whereas Samsung has launched the primary technology of the GAA course of, it claims that the following technology of the MBCFET course of will additional enhance on energy, dimension, and velocity metrics. Supply: Samsung
Samsung plans to introduce its second-generation 3-nm chips in 2023 and mass-produce GAA-based 2-nm chips in 2025. That may present the Korean mega fab with room to stabilize the yield of GAA-based chips and keep forward of the semiconductor manufacturing curve whereas attempting to slender its hole with TSMC, which plans to introduce a GAA course of on its 2-nm chips and launch the primary GAA-based chips round 2026.
TSMC will nonetheless be manufacturing its 3-nm chips whereas utilizing the extra tried-and-tested FinFET structure that comes with decrease execution dangers. TSMC claims to have carried out a big replace to its FinFET know-how to permit efficiency and leakage scaling by means of one other iteration of its course of node know-how.
TSMC is planning to begin using GAA transistors within the preliminary technology of its N2 course of know-how. Apparently, Taiwan’s mega fab is taking a extra cautious strategy whereas transferring at a slower tempo towards adopting GAA transistors. This strategy has served TSMC effectively previously in delivering extra constant updates to its fab choices.
Intel is there, too
The FinFET semiconductor course of know-how, now in its fifth technology, has been a producing customary for a number of years. Now that the primary technology of GAA chips has already emerged, mega fabs may go head-to-head for GAA know-how supremacy within the coming years. Take the case of Intel, at the moment attempting to meet up with the mega-fab duopoly of TSMC and Samsung.
Intel, advertising its GAA know-how by the title RibbonFET, plans to maneuver to this new semiconductor manufacturing course of at its 2-nm node, identical to TSMC. Together with PowerVia interconnects, Intel goals to launch the GAA RibbonFET transistors in mid-2024 whereas creating an inside pseudo node for the brand new course of know-how.
The GAA course of know-how, a significant milestone in silicon lithography, is more likely to develop in prominence with an unprecedented fab buildout in the USA and elsewhere on the planet. All three gamers within the cutting-edge semiconductor manufacturing house—TSMC, Samsung, and Intel—have their GAA course of roadmaps intact. Which means GAA’s stature because the next-generation silicon manufacturing course of is secured.
The FinFET course of know-how has served nanometer nodes effectively for almost a decade. It’s about time for GAA to take the baton and elevate the semiconductor trade to the following stage of silicon scaling. Nevertheless, it gained’t be easy crusing as a result of GAA designs are way more advanced to construct than FinFETs or planar transistors.
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