Samsung Foundry renames SF3 process node to SF2, rewrites contracts changing 3nm to 2nm

Samsung Foundry is reportedly rebranding its 2nd generation 3nm-class fabrication technology -- aka SF3 -- to SF2, its 2nm-class manufacturing process... a move requiring a rewritten contract.

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A source told ZDNet: "We were informed by Samsung Electronics that the 2nd generation 3nm [name] is being changed to 2nm. We had contracted Samsung Foundry for the 2nd generation 3nm production last year, but we recently revised the contract to change the name to 2nm."

The site reports that renaming its SF2 process node will see Samsung better competing against Intel Foundry, as it has its Intel 20A production node, also a 2nm-class technology, arriving later this year. Samsung unveiled its process technology roadmap through to 2027 back in 2022, listing many nodes along the way: SF3E, SF4P, SF3, SF4X, SF4, SF3P, SF2P, and SF1.4.

Earlier this year, Samsung reportedly notified its customers about the changes to its roadmap and the renaming of its SF3 process to SF2. The company reportedly had to re-sign contracts with customers who were set to use its SF3 production node, which is now called SF2.

Samsung plans to pump out chips on its new SF2 process node in the second half of this year, and it seems there are no changes or reworking of the design, just a name change from SF3 to SF2.