Starting with Samsung’s Gen 9 3D NAND, the tech giant will only use half the amount of PR than before, thanks to the spin rpm and etching condition adjustments, sources said.

Samsung has succeeded in drastically reducing the amount of photoresist it uses (PR) during the photolithography process in its 3D NAND flash production.

Samsung has set the production roadmap for future NANDs to use only half the amount of PR than before, sources said.It has used 7 to 8ccs of PR per coating but this has been reduced to 4 to 4.5cc, they said.

Samsung, to reduce the amount of PR used during the process, controlled the number of spin (rpm) its coaters performed. It also adjusted the condition of etching after PR was coated. Ultimately, reducing the amount of PR used is for Samsung a cost-saving measure.