Samsung develops 8nm rf chip for 5G communication

Samsung has developed a new radio-frequency chip on an 8-nanometer process that is 35 percent more energy efficient than the current 14nm chip and has 35 percent less chip surface. The chip is mainly intended for 5G communication, says Samsung.

The chip is the smallest rf chip of the brand, which also already has 28nm and 14nm chips, developed by the foundry division of Samsung. The 8nm chip should primarily be a solution for 5G mmWave applications. Compared to the 14nm chip, this 8nm chip is 35 percent more energy efficient, according to Samsung, and the chip area is 35 percent smaller.

The RF chip converts the digital signal from a modem chip into an analog radio signal which is then sent to the modem chip. One problem with developing smaller chips, Samsung says, is that radio reception deteriorates as a chip gets smaller due to more resistance. To solve that problem, the company has developed an architecture exclusive to the 8nm RF chip, which it calls RFextremeFET.

Because the chip is smaller and uses less power, it is particularly useful for 5G applications, said Hyung Jin Lee, the director of Samsung’s foundry division. “8nm-rf is especially suitable for customers who want long battery life while providing excellent signal strength in compact mobile devices.”