Samsung Targets 2029 for 1.4nm Chip Production as Foundry Race Intensifies
Samsung Electronics is preparing to re-enter the race for next-generation semiconductor manufacturing with its 1.4nm process technology, a major step aimed at challenging Intel and TSMC in the advanced foundry market. The company’s upcoming node, known as SF1.4, is now reportedly being planned for mass production in 2029.
The move comes as competition in the global chip industry accelerates. Intel is pushing forward with its 14A technology, while TSMC is preparing its A14 process. Although these technologies differ in design and implementation, they are all positioned in the 1.4nm-class category, making them crucial milestones for future high-performance computing, artificial intelligence, mobile processors, and data center chips.
Samsung had originally aimed to begin mass production of its 1.4nm process much earlier, with previous expectations pointing to 2027. However, the company later adjusted its roadmap and shifted focus toward strengthening its 2nm technologies, including SF2 and SF2P. These 2nm nodes are considered important stepping stones because they are expected to deliver better yields, improved efficiency, and more mature back-end production capabilities.
By prioritizing 2nm development first, Samsung appears to be taking a more calculated approach. Advanced chip manufacturing requires enormous investment, new tools, and highly optimized production lines. For 1.4nm, Samsung needs more than a simple upgrade to existing facilities. The company must prepare fresh production infrastructure and deploy more advanced equipment, which likely contributed to the revised 2029 timeline.
Despite the delay, Samsung has not abandoned its long-term ambitions. The company is reportedly working with both domestic and international supply chain partners to develop the equipment required for SF1.4. Early tools are expected to be delivered to NRD-K, Samsung’s advanced semiconductor research and development hub. Key equipment partners involved in this effort include Applied Materials and Lam Research.
One of the biggest technological shifts for Samsung’s 1.4nm plans could be the use of high-NA EUV lithography. ASML has already supplied high-NA EUV equipment to Samsung’s NRD-K facility, and the technology is expected to play a central role in future advanced chip production. High-NA EUV is designed to improve patterning precision, allowing chipmakers to create smaller and more complex transistor structures.
This could give Samsung an important advantage as the industry moves beyond current EUV manufacturing methods. While TSMC is also advancing its process roadmap with A16 ahead of A14, Samsung’s adoption of high-NA EUV for future nodes could help it compete more aggressively in the long term.
Intel is also moving quickly. The company recently began risk production of its 18A-P process, an improved version of its 18A node. Intel’s push into advanced manufacturing has attracted growing customer interest, adding pressure on both Samsung and TSMC to deliver competitive process technologies on schedule.
For Samsung, the 1.4nm process is more than just another node on a roadmap. It represents a strategic asset for its foundry business as the company works to narrow the gap with its biggest rivals. By 2029, Intel and TSMC are expected to already be deep into their own 1.4nm-class technologies, meaning Samsung will need strong execution, reliable yields, and competitive performance to stand out.
Samsung is also looking beyond logic chips. The company is expected to continue development of its next-generation V12 NAND, with production targeted around 2030. Its long-term memory roadmap includes ambitions to exceed 1,000 layers through advanced multi-cell stacking technologies, showing that Samsung’s semiconductor strategy covers both foundry and memory innovation.
The coming years will be critical for the global semiconductor industry. As demand rises for AI accelerators, advanced processors, high-bandwidth memory, and energy-efficient computing, chipmakers are racing to deliver smaller, faster, and more power-efficient technologies. Samsung’s decision to restart and restructure its 1.4nm program signals that it intends to remain a major force in the foundry market.
If Samsung successfully brings SF1.4 to mass production in 2029, it could strengthen the company’s position against Intel 14A and TSMC A14. The challenge will be turning advanced research, new equipment, and next-generation lithography into a commercially viable process that customers can trust at scale.
