Micron has begun sampling of its first LPDDR5X memory devices produced using its new 1γ (1-gamma) fabrication process that uses EUV lithography with customers, the company announced at its conference call with investors and financial analysts this week. The new devices are believed to be more performance efficient, but perhaps more importantly, they highlight that Micron is starting to produce DRAMs using a technology that relies on EUV lithography.
"We are making excellent progress on our 1γ (1-gamma) DRAM technology node, with yield ramping ahead of the record pace we achieved on our 1ß (1-beta) node," said Sanjay Mehrotra, chief executive of Micron. "We completed several key product milestones during the quarter, including the first qualification sample shipments of 1γ-based LP5 DRAM."
Micron's 1γ process technology is the company's 6th Generation 10nm-class production node that promises to reduce the power consumption of DRAM ICs by 20% while improving their performance by 15% compared to the company's previous-generation 1β fabrication technology. In addition, the technology features a 30% higher bit density, a very significant improvement over its predecessor, which may transform into a comparable reduction in production cost once the new DRAMs achieve yields similar to those of 1β DRAM devices.
One interesting thing to note, though, is that Micron's 1γ-based LPDDR5X ICs are not the company's first memory devices to use this technology. Earlier this year, the company introduced its 16Gb DDR5-9200 ICs that promised both higher performance and lower power consumption compared to predecessors. Yet, the company did not provide any updates on how sampling of these DRAMs is proceeding this week. Yet, over time, Micron is set to adopt its 6th Gen 10nm-class DRAM node across its whole stack of memory products, which includes DDR5, LPDDR5X (which is now rated for up to 10.7 GT/s), GDDR7, and data center-oriented products.
"We will leverage 1γ across our entire DRAM product portfolio to benefit from this leadership technology," Mehrotra stressed.
Micron is the last major DRAM maker to adopt EUV lithography with its 1γ manufacturing.
While Micron has not revealed how many layers rely on EUV, it is likely reserved for the most complex layers that would otherwise require time-consuming multi-patterning. The 1γ process still combines EUV with traditional deep ultraviolet (DUV) multi-patterning, and also introduces an upgraded high-k metal gate and redesigned back-end of line (BEOL) circuitry. Micron is currently producing 1γ DRAM in Japan, where its first EUV tool came online in 2024, with plans to expand EUV capacity in both Japan and Taiwan.
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