Samsung ships one million DDR4 DRAM modules based on extreme ultraviolet technology

Forward-looking: Samsung is well on its way to volume producing D1a-based DDR5 and LPDDR5 memory based on extreme ultraviolet (EUV) technology in 2021. As a demonstration of its technical prowess, the South Korean electronics giant has already successfully shipped one million EUV-based 10nm-class (D1x) DDR4 DRAM modules which have additionally passed global customer evaluations.

Samsung said EUV technology reduces repetitive steps in multi-patterning and improves patterning accuracy which leads to enhanced performance and higher yields as well as abbreviated development time. According to the company, it is the first to adopt EUV in DRAM production to overcome DRAM scaling challenges.

Jung-bae Lee, executive vice president of DRAM product and technology at Samsung Electronics, said the advancement underscores how Samsung will continue contributing to global IT innovation through timely development of leading-edge process technologies and next-generation memory products for the premium memory market.

“With the production of our new EUV-based DRAM, we are demonstrating our full commitment toward providing revolutionary DRAM solutions in support of our global IT customers,” the executive added.

Samsung last month announced that its V1 semiconductor fabrication line, the first dedicated to EUV lithography, had begun mass production. That facility is used to produce 6nm and 7nm chips with the ability to eventually go all the way down to 3nm. By the end of 2020, Samsung will have pumped $6 billion into the factory.

The chipmaker said it plans to fire up a second semiconductor fabrication line in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, later this year to help address the growing demand for next-gen premium DRAM.