Chip process war heats up

FD-SOI could have the potential to reach 40 to 50 percent of the chip market if Samsung joins Globalfoundries in adopting it.

Although volumes are still small, fully depleted silicon-on-insulator or FD-SOI could grow rapidly in the wake of Globalfoundries' plans for a 12nm process. Whether Samsung or a new fab coming up in Shanghai will adopt FD-SOI will be a big factor, said veteran market watcher Handel Jones of International Business Strategies.

Ironically in a semiconductor industry traditionally focused on the next big thing, the aging 28nm node is likely to be the biggest process of all through 2025, according to the current IBS forecast.

The FinFET processes adopted by top chipmakers Intel, Samsung and TSMC provide the highest performance and lowest power consumption. However, in a 14nm equivalent, FD-SOI supports 16.8 percent lower cost per gate than FinFETs, Jones said. It also reduces design cost by about 25 percent and the risk of needing a re-spin, he added.

Besides, FD-SOI has a unique ability to dynamically manage power consumption through biasing. The process also delivers superior support for RF given a significantly higher cut-off frequency than FinFETs, said Jones who attended the recent FD-SOI event in Shanghai.

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