SK hynix is making significant strides in the development of three-dimensional (3D) DRAM, often referred to as “dream memory.” Building on its leadership in the AI semiconductor market with high-bandwidth memory (HBM), SK hynix is now focusing on next-generation DRAM technology.
At the VLSI 2024 conference in Hawaii, SK hynix unveiled a research paper detailing their 3D DRAM’s manufacturing yield. The five-layer stacked 3D DRAM achieved a 56.1% yield, producing 561 viable devices from 1,000 manufactured on a single test wafer. This represents a substantial step forward, as it marks the first instance SK hynix has disclosed specific data and performance metrics for its 3D DRAM.
Industry analysts view this disclosure as a pivotal milestone, suggesting SK hynix is closing in on mastering the core technologies required for next-generation DRAM. Unlike traditional 2D DRAM, which arranges memory cells on a flat plane, 3D DRAM stacks these cells vertically. This design promises higher memory density but also introduces complex technological challenges.
Competitors such as Samsung Electronics and Micron Technology are also investing heavily in 3D DRAM development. Samsung, for example, has projected mass production by 2030. Despite these advancements, SK hynix cautions that significant development is still required before 3D DRAM can be commercially viable, highlighting current instability in performance and the need for stacking up to 192 layers for general use.
This breakthrough positions SK hynix at the forefront of a potentially transformative shift in the DRAM market, aligning with their history of innovation in high-performance memory technologies.
