According to a source that relies on reports from South Korean media, Samsung Electronics is reviewing the schedule of semiconductor technology development to bring the production launch closer to 6 nm standards. It is alleged that now Samsung expects to begin serial production of 6-nanometer microchips in the second half of 2019. Earlier in 2019, only a trial issue was planned.

The reason prompting Samsung to accelerate, called the backlog from the company TSMC, which develops a 7-nanometer process technology. Offering a 6-nanometer alternative, Samsung will be able to compete with TSMC for orders from Qualcomm and Apple. A month ago, information appeared that Qualcomm would not order 7 nanometer SoC from Samsung, but from TSMC. To release serial production at 7 nm standards, TSMC is expected to start in early 2018.

Note that at this stage TSMC uses immersion lithography, but is developing an improved version of the 7-nanometer process technology using lithography in the hard ultraviolet (EUV). This version should be ready for serial production in 2019.

Samsung is also betting on EUV. Until the end of the year, the South Korean manufacturer expects to install two ASML machines for EUV lithography, and next year seven more. This equipment allows us to master the norms of 7, 6 and 5 nm.