Samsung: 10nm FinFET SoC now in mass production

Samsung is dealing with massive issues with the halt of sales of its Note 7 smartphones after a handful of them had battery-related issues, with the number meant to not just stop with the purportedly fixed Note 7, except it didn't. Now we're hearing about the future of SoCs from Samsung, as they've just announced mass production of their 10nm FinFET process.

Executive VP and Head of Foundry Business at Samsung Electronics, Jong Shik Yoon announced: "The industry's first mass production of 10nm FinFET technology demonstrates our leadership in advanced process technology. We will continue our efforts to innovate scaling technologies and provide differentiated total solutions to our customers".

How does 10nm benefit us? The new 10nm FinFET LPE process uses an advanced 3D transistor structure that includes new process technology and design compared to the previous node. With Samsung shrinking down to 10nm, we'll see a 30% increase in area efficiency, as well as a 27% higher performance ratio, and 40% lower power consumption. 10nm isn't easy, with the new node being one of the smallest in mass production, Samsung used "cutting edge techniques such as triple-patterning to allow bi-directional routing are also used to retain design and routing flexibility from prior nodes".

Samsung says that SoCs with the new 10nm process technology will be used in devices "launching early next year", adding that they're "expected to become more widely available throughout 2017".