Micron and Nanya Present 42nm DDR3

It seems that Samsung isn't the only company developing advanced DRAM technologies. Not long after it launched the 30nm DRAM, Micron and Nanya are presenting their own advancement in this field, namely the 42nm process technology that enables the creation of DRAM modules of up to 16GB. This 42nm process allows for the creation of DDR3 modules with a better performance, smaller die sizes, greater densities and a lower power consumption.

Compared with the previous generations of memory solutions that use 1.5 volts of electricity, the 42nm makes 1.35 volts the standard for the mainstream. This is especially important in servers, where the cooling infrastructure and power costs can rival those of the server equipment itself, with a power usage of up to 21 watts per module.

The 1.35-volt standard will allow for power savings of up to 30 percent in such scenarios. In addition, the shrunk process technology enables 2Gb-42nm DDR3 to operate at up to 1866 MHz and also enables the creation of DDR3 memory modules with a maximum capacity of 16GB.

“With the move to 42nm – and with a 3Xnm process working in our R&D fab in Boise – Micron’s expertise in copper metallization and proprietary cell capacitor technology has enabled us to stay on the cutting-edge of DRAM process design and innovation,” Robert Feurle, vice president of DRAM marketing, said. “The addition of this new 2Gb 42nm device to our DRAM product line strengthens our already rich portfolio of memory solutions for customers’ end applications.”

“We are very pleased to offer this 2Gb DDR3, the most competitive DRAM device in production, to our customers,” Dr. Pei Lin Pai, vice president of global sales and marketing and spokesman for Nanya, added. “Nanya plans to serve the server and PC market, as well as the consumer market, with this latest technology device.”

In addition to advancing the manufacturing process, Micron and Nanya succeeded in enhancing process scaling through implementing the copper metallization technology. Copper is more extendible, reliable and cost-effective when advancing process geometries and enhancing product performance, compared with other metallization techniques such as aluminum. The two partners will continue to implement this copper metallization as they continue to scale and move towards the next-generation 3Xnm process.

The 2Gb DDR3 chip will start sampling during the second quarter and will be mass-produced during the second half of the year.