SK Hynix Develops Industry-First 16GB DDR5 Memory Using 1c Node on 10nm Process

SK hynix's 1c "6th Gen 10nm" Node Leveraged By 16Gb DDR5 & Headed To LPDDR6, HBM & GDDR7

World's First 1c DDR5 Memory Developed By SK Hynix, Offers 11% Speed-Up & Up To 8000 MT/s Speeds Press Release: SK hynix Inc. announced today that it had developed the industry's first 16Gb DDR5 built using its 1c node, the sixth generation of the 10nm process. The success marks the beginning of the extreme scaling to the level closer to 10nm in the memory process technology. The degree of difficulty in advancing the shrinking process of the 10nm-range DRAM technology has grown over generations, but SK hynix has become the first in the industry to overcome the technological limitations by raising the level of completion in design, thanks to its industry-leading technology of the 1b, the fifth generation of the 10nm process. "We are committed to providing differentiated values to customers by applying the 1c technology equipped with the best performance and cost competitiveness to our major next-generation products including HBM, LPDDR6, and GDDR7," said Head of DRAM Development Kim Jonghwan. "We will continue to work towards maintaining the leadership in the DRAM space and position as the most-trusted AI memory solution provider." SK hynix said it will be ready for mass production of the 1c DDR5 within the year to start volume shipment next year. To reduce potential errors stemming from the procedure of advancing the process and transfer the advantage of the 1b, which is widely applauded for its best-performing DRAM, most efficiently, the company extended the platform of the 1b DRAM for the development of 1c. The new product comes with an improvement in cost competitiveness, compared with the previous generation, by adopting a new material in a certain process of extreme ultraviolet, or EUV, while optimizing the EUV application process of the total. SK hynix also enhanced productivity by more than 30% through technological innovation in design. The operating speed of the 1c DDR5, expected to be adopted for high-performance data centers, is improved by 11% from the previous generation to 8Gbps. With power efficiency also improved by more than 9%, SK hynix expects the adoption of 1c DRAM to help data centers reduce electricity costs by as much as 30% at a time when the advancement of the AI era is leading to an increase in power consumption.

SK hynix Develops Industry First 16 Gb DDR5 Using 1c Node on 10nm Process

SK hynix has announced the successful development of the first 16 Gb DDR5 memory utilizing its 1c node, the sixth generation of the 10nm process technology. This advancement signifies a critical step in the further scaling of memory process technology towards the 10nm threshold. Despite the increasing challenges associated with advancing DRAM technology at this scale, SK hynix has overcome these technological barriers, leveraging its expertise from the fifth-generation 1b node. The company is preparing for mass production of the 1c DDR5 within the year, with volume shipments expected to begin next year. To minimize errors during the process transition and maximize the benefits of the 1b node -- recognized for its high-performance DRAM -- SK hynix extended the 1b platform to aid in the development of the 1c node. The new DDR5 product offers improved cost efficiency compared to previous generations by incorporating a new material in specific stages of the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) process and optimizing the overall EUV application. Additionally, SK hynix has enhanced productivity by over 30% through design innovations. The operating speed of the 1c DDR5 has been increased by 11% over the previous generation, reaching 8 Gbps, making it suitable for high-performance data center applications. Power efficiency has also improved by over 9%, which could potentially reduce electricity costs for data centers by up to 30%, particularly as the demand for AI-driven computing continues to rise. Kim Jonghwan, Head of DRAM Development at SK hynix, stated, ""We are committed to providing differentiated values to customers by applying the 1c technology equipped with the best performance and cost competitiveness to our major next-generation products including HBM, LPDDR6, and GDDR7," said Head of DRAM Development Kim Jonghwan. "We will continue to work towards maintaining the leadership in the DRAM space and position as the most-trusted AI memory solution provider."