The Seoul, Korea-based SK hynix Inc. announced today that it has developed the industry’s first and only known 16Gb DDR5 DRAM using its 1c node, and marking the sixth generation of the 10nm process.
This achievement signifies a new milestone in extreme scaling, bringing DRAM process technology closer to the 10nm threshold. As the challenges of shrinking DRAM technology in the 10nm range have grown significantly over each generation, SK hynix is widely regarded as the first in the industry to overcome these technological barriers, utilizing its advanced 1b technology platform to achieve breakthrough design and production capabilities.
Mass production of the 1c DDR5 is anticipated to begin later this year, with volume shipments expected by 2025. To mitigate potential errors during process advancements and to efficiently transfer the advantages of its high-performance 1b DRAM, SK hynix extended the 1b platform to facilitate development of the 1c node.
The new 1c DDR5 boasts significant cost improvements over the previous generation by introducing a new material in the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) process and optimizing overall EUV application. This innovation has also enhanced productivity by more than 30%, thanks to design technology improvements.
In addition, the 1c DDR5 offers an 11% increase in operating speed performance, reaching 8Gbps, making it suitable for use in high-performance data centers. Additionally, power efficiency has been improved by over 9%, which SK hynix company representative anticipate will enable data centers to reduce their electricity costs by up to 30%—a timely advantage, as the incorporation of AI technology continues to drive up energy consumption.
“We are committed to providing differentiated value to our customers by applying 1c technology, which offers the best in performance and cost competitiveness, to our major next-generation products, including HBM1, LPDDR62, and GDDR73,” said Kim Jonghwan, Head of DRAM Development at SK hynix. “We will continue to work toward maintaining our leadership in the DRAM space and solidifying our position as the most trusted AI memory solution provider.”
About SK hynix Inc.
Headquartered in Seoul, Korea, SK hynix Inc, is a top tier global semiconductor supplier offering Dynamic Random Access Memory chips (“DRAM”), flash memory chips (“NAND flash”) and CMOS Image Sensors (“CIS”) for a wide range of distinguished customers globally. The Company’s shares are traded on the Korea Exchange, and the Global Depository shares are listed on the Luxemburg Stock Exchange. Further information about SK hynix is available at www.skhynix.com, news.skhynix.com.
Source/Photo Credit: SK hynix Inc.
