Samsung is reportedly in the process of redesigning its sixth-generation 1c DRAM, aiming to boost yield rates and gain a competitive advantage with its forthcoming HBM4 technology.
### The Role of Samsung’s 1c DRAM in Its Future and Memory Market Success
At the heart of Samsung’s strategy is a reimagined 1c DRAM process, crucial for their anticipated success with HBM4. ZDNet Korea reports that since the second half of 2024, the tech giant has been revisiting the designs of its DRAM technology. The redesign, particularly of the sophisticated 1c DRAM, is intended to secure the widespread adoption of their new HBM technologies. This comes in the wake of challenges faced by competitors, like the limited uptake of the HBM3 by companies such as NVIDIA.
Recent revelations highlighted that Samsung’s advanced DRAM technology has not yet met the expected yield rates, hovering around the 60% to 70% mark. As a result, the company has hit a bottleneck preventing mass production. The main issue seems to stem from the size of the 1c DRAM chips. Initially, Samsung’s efforts to shrink the chip size for higher production volumes inadvertently traded off process stability, leading to reduced yields.
> Samsung Electronics has opted to redesign its 1c DRAM, opting for a larger chip that prioritizes yield improvements, with a target set for mid-year success. The company appears willing to absorb higher costs to ensure reliable mass production of its next-gen memory.
> – ZDNet Korea
The success of Samsung’s 1c DRAM process is integral to the future outcomes of their HBM4 products. With rivals like SK Hynix and Micron already ahead in refining their processes, Samsung is racing against the clock. After the setbacks with its HBM3, there’s additional pressure to meet industry standards and not repeat past mistakes.
Currently, the fate of Samsung’s sixth-generation DRAM process remains uncertain, but developments are expected in the upcoming months. Should things align as hoped, this could pave the way for the HBM4 process to enter mass production by year-end.
