Samsung begins mass printing 16Gb LPDDR5 chips on world’s largest semiconductor line
Samsung has announced the start of mass production of the industry’s first mobile 16Gbit LPDDR5 DRAM chips on its second production line in Pyeongtaek, Korea. For printing, the Samsung 10nm class (1z) third-generation process technology is used in the extreme ultraviolet range (EUV). The company promises the highest performance and largest storage capacity in the mobile market – this will pave the way for 5G, AI, and more in next-generation smartphones.
The company noted that its second production line in Pyeongtaek covers an area of 128,900 square meters – roughly 16 soccer fields and a record in the semiconductor industry to date. This factory will serve as a key manufacturing center for the industry’s leading semiconductor technology, offering the best DRAM and V-NAND technologies.
Samsung’s new 16-Gbit LPDDR5 memory chips are the world’s first DRAM crystals to be mass-produced using ultraviolet lithography. At 6400Mbps, these chips are about 16% faster than the 12Gb LPDDR5 (5500Mbps) found in most modern flagship smartphones. In a 16GB package, this LPDDR5 memory can transfer approximately 51.2GB of data ( 10 5GB Full HD movies) in one second.
Using the 1z process technology, the 16GB LPDDR5 packaging is 30% thinner than its predecessor, allowing more functional blocks to fit into the slimmer 5G smartphones and foldable devices of the future. 16GB LPDDR5 modules use only 8 chips, while the predecessor based on the 1y process technology required 12 chips (eight 12Gb and four 8Gb chips) to provide the same capacity.
Samsung plans to further strengthen its flagship smartphone market presence in 2021, as well as expand its market share in LPDDR5 for automotive electronics by offering solutions with an extended temperature range and meeting stringent safety and reliability standards in extreme conditions.
