Samsung Restarts 1.4nm Foundry R&D, Mass Production Timeline Pushed to 2029
Alina Collins
Samsung has restarted development of its 1.4nm process, but mass production is now targeted for 2029 — two years later than originally planned — as the company prioritises fixing 2nm yields first. TSMC's equivalent node aims for 2028, keeping the gap in focus.
Why restart 1.4nm but delay production by two years?
Samsung has asked Applied Materials and Lam Research to begin early development of tools for its 1.4nm node, known as SF1.4.
Mass production has shifted from 2027 to 2029. This means → Samsung has decided that stabilising 2nm yields is more urgent than sprinting to the next node.
In plain terms = 1.4nm has not been cancelled — it has been re-sequenced behind a 2nm line that still needs to graduate.
How is the 2nm ramp going?
Samsung is channelling resources into SF2 and its derivative SF2P, focusing on yield stability and process optimisation.
Industry sources say 2nm yields are showing early signs of improvement, and Samsung has reportedly won an order to produce Tesla's next-generation AI chip.
This means → a successful 2nm ramp delivers both near-term foundry revenue and process know-how that feeds directly into 1.4nm — the two steps are sequential, not either-or.
What role does the NRD-K facility play?
Samsung's NRD-K R&D complex in Giheung, South Korea spans 109,000 square metres, with a cumulative investment plan of KRW 20 trillion (≈ US$13 billion) through 2030.
ASML's High-NA EUV lithography tool — a next-generation machine that etches finer chip circuits with extreme-ultraviolet light — has reportedly been installed at NRD-K and is expected to enter use starting at the 1.4nm node.
In plain terms = NRD-K is Samsung's integrated base from research to product development — equipment arrives first, process tuning follows, and 1.4nm groundwork is already under way.
Why are equipment suppliers being pulled in this early?
Rising complexity at advanced nodes stretches equipment development cycles, forcing suppliers to engage earlier in a customer's process-specification work.
Applied Materials and Lam Research are core equipment partners for both Samsung's foundry and memory businesses; this early request extends the collaboration window.
Samsung has simultaneously sent equipment-requirement requests for its next-generation V12 NAND flash, expected to enter production around 2030. This reflects a parallel effort to lock in supplier capacity across both foundry and memory lines.
Can Samsung close the gap with TSMC by 2029?
TSMC has stated that its A14 process — the 1.4nm-class equivalent — will enter mass production in 2028, one year ahead of Samsung's current target.
The speed of Samsung's 2nm yield ramp and NRD-K's R&D-to-production conversion will determine whether that one-year gap shrinks or widens.
Put simply = matching the node number does not mean matching the technology — the real question is whether Samsung can catch up on yield and customer orders, not just align roadmap labels.
Content is for reference only, not financial advice.