Samsung: First 3nm chips could be up to 45 percent more energy efficient than 5nm versions

Samsung produces its first chips at 3nm using gate-all-around transistors. According to the company, its 3nm process can lead to a reduction in energy consumption of up to 45 percent compared to 5nm.

Samsung’s first 3nm chips with gaa transistors could become 45 percent more energy efficient or 23 percent better performance, the company said. In addition, the chips are up to 16 percent smaller. Samsung is talking about the first 3nm generation; the second-generation 3nm chips can become up to 50 percent more efficient or perform 30 percent better, with the surface area reduced by 35 percent.

For its first gaa transistors, Samsung uses technology it calls Multi-Bridge-Channel FET. This is Samsung’s successor to FinFET. The Korean company says it uses relatively wide channels to enable high performance and low consumption. Samsung can adjust the width of the channels on Multi-Bridge-Channel FET to give customers flexibility in terms of performance-to-consumption ratio.

In gate-all-around transistors, which are built from nanosheets, the gates completely enclose the channels for more contact area with the gates, enabling faster transistors with lower leakage currents. Samsung’s competitor TSMC still uses finfets for its 3nm process. This type of transistor has a gate over a fin-shaped channel.