Samsung Now Manufacturing DDR5 Chips...

Samsung has announced the start of high volume production of DRAM chips using its latest 12nm fabrication process. This new manufacturing node has resulted in reduced power consumption and significant cost reduction compared to the previous generation. The 12nm process is being utilized to produce 16Gbit DDR5 memory chips, which offer up to 23% lower power consumption and 20% more dies per wafer compared to DDR5 chips manufactured on the previous 14nm node.

Samsung's key innovation in the 12nm process is the use of a new high-k material for DRAM cell capacitors, increasing cell capacitance without increasing dimensions or die sizes. This boosts performance by allowing the cells to store more data and reduce power-draining refresh cycles. The reduction in die size is remarkable considering that analog components like capacitors typically do not scale down with finer process nodes.

In addition to the high-k material, Samsung has also reduced operating voltage and noise for its 12nm DDR5 ICs, achieving a better balance of performance and power consumption compared to previous generations. The new 12nm node is likely Samsung's third-generation production node for memory utilizing extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV), although the extent of EUV tool usage is unclear.

Samsung's 12nm DDR5 dies are capable of running at speeds up to DDR5-7200 (7.2Gbps/pin), surpassing the current JEDEC specification. This offers potential for faster memory speeds in future XMP/EXPO memory kits.

Overall, Samsung's 12nm DDR5 DRAM technology provides improved performance, power efficiency, and cost-effectiveness, thanks to the use of a new high-k material and advanced manufacturing techniques.