Grace announces that the AMD Zen2 architecture processor produced on a 7-nanometer process will be unveiled by the end of 2018. For next-generation process nodes, Gragon seems to be jumping once more...
Globalfoundries, the world’s second-largest semiconductor foundry, skipped the 10-nanometer manufacturing process and directly attacked the 7-nanometer process at the foundry process node, and also announced the AMD Zen2 architecture processor manufactured on a 7-nanometer manufacturing process. It will be unveiled before the end of 2018. However, for the next-generation process node, it seems that the grid core will once again jump, omitting the 5-nm process that the foundry leader TSMC has actively deployed, and proceeding directly to the 3-nanometer process.
The newly appointed lattice core CEO Tom Caulfield said in an interview with EETimes that at the moment, Gexin needs the most new development opportunities. Although Gexin is the semiconductor foundry of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd., which has the second largest market share in the world, its overall operation is far from successful. Compared with TSMC and Samsung, it lags behind and has given up its own 14nm XM technology. Switching to the full 14-nanometer process authorization from Samsung, it was more stable to provide AMD and other customers with 14-nm manufacturing capacity, and the overall profitability was poor. This is where Gelicy needs to change.
Prior to the grid core skipping the 20nm and 10nm process nodes, it directly entered the 14nm and 7nm process nodes, and the 14nm process was steadily mass-produced. The 7nm process is expected to be mass-produced by the end of 2018. The progress of the process has been a good response from partner AMD, allowing AMD's Zen 2 and Zen 3 architecture processors to perform as planned.
Competitors Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. are strongly promoting the development of 5-nanometer process, and they also expect to have improved 4-nanometer manufacturing processes. On the other hand, the situation of the lattice core is relatively complicated. At present, it is not yet certain whether the 5 nm process of lattice core can be widely supported by customers. However, for the 3-nanometer process node, Gexin will not only be absent from the future, but also expects to build a new fab for the production of 3-nanometer process nodes. This also means that Gexin may jump directly like skipping 10-nanometer process nodes. After 5nm process, enter 3nm process technology.
According to the plans of TSMC and Samsung, the two companies' five-nanometer process is expected to be mass-produced around 2020. If the cell decides to skip this node, AMD's next-generation Zen architecture processor may use 3nm process technology directly. According to the previous news, AMD has already indicated that it is developing the Zen 5 architecture processor, but it will be difficult to come out until 2020. Because of AMD's official roadmap, 2020 will be a Zen 3 architecture product using a 7nm EUV process. . So, AMD Zen 5 architecture products that really need to see 3nm process are probably between 2021 and 2022.
However, all this is still a "planning" thing. At this stage, according to the financial resources of Igecore, it is impossible to start construction of a 3-nanometer process fab soon. In addition, the new factory can bring a lot of job opportunities. The grid core needs a lot of government agencies to subsidize, which also makes the 3-nanometer process fab plant construction plan is still in negotiations with the parties. In this regard, Tom Caulfield and his mother company - Abu Dhabi's Mubadala investment company went to Washington to lobby, hoping to get the support of the US federal funds.
