Wednesday, December 30, 2020

Samsung Plans to Leapfrog Sony with New 20nm Process

JoongAng Ibo: Samsung VP  Yong-in Park has been recently promoted from HR to the System LSI Division Strategic Marketing Manager. One of his first decisions was to convert the remaining DRAM capacity on Line 11 to image sensor manufacturing.

The reason Samsung Electronics is converting its DRAM line to image sensor is that it is building a large-scale new DRAM production facility at the Pyeongtaek plant. The Pyeongtaek plant will mass-produce the 4th generation 10-nano class (1a) DRAM using the EUV process from next year. Due to the massive increase in DRAM production capacity, Hwaseong Line 11, which made 20-nano or higher-class DRAM, will be converted into an image sensor for line efficiency.

The newspaper says that (in Microsoft translation) "Sony is still more of ahead in its optical ability to convert light into images. Apple and Huawei have been using Sony products instead of using Samsung image sensors."

7 comments:

  1. is 20 nm for pixel or circuit?

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    Replies
    1. I'd guess only Samsung insider can reply on that

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    2. What is the usual process used these days for pixel layer and logic layer?

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    3. A 20nm sized pixel is unthinkable, no optical system could make use of such a small size. The 20nm figure is for the lithographic process (to simplify, this is how small can the transistors be made), not the pixel size.

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    4. to L.A. : the 20 nm is referring to the node of the CMOS process, and not to the pixel size.

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  2. Let me correct some minor information.
    Mr. Park's previuos position was sensor buisness team manager of System LSI
    new position is strategic marketing team manager in System LSI. New position is mainly responsible for B2B business.

    I guess Samsung use 28nm process for pixel.

    some relative links:

    http://www.businesskorea.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=56553

    https://images.samsung.com/is/content/samsung/assets/global/ir/docs/business-introduction/Samsung_Investor_Presentation_SLSI_2020_v1.pdf

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  3. https://www.dpreview.com/news/2183540037/samsung-65-14nm-stacked-sensor-design-power-efficiency-density-mobile-image-sensors

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