China: Chinese memory-chip maker ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) said its fifth-generation DRAM technology platform has entered mass production, marking a major step in the company’s efforts to expand its position in the global memory-chip market.
CXMT said the new platform is designed to produce higher-capacity memory chips at lower cost and with reduced power consumption. The technology is intended for devices including smartphones, computers and other electronics.
New Platform Increases Chip Capacity
The Hefei-based company said its new manufacturing process reduces the spacing of key features in the chip’s data-storage area to 11.95 nanometres.
CXMT said it achieved the reduction using quadruple patterning, a manufacturing technique that repeats patterning steps to create finer circuit structures.
The company said the platform can produce at least 50% more gross chip dies per silicon wafer than its fourth-generation platform, based on an 8-gigabit chip baseline.
CXMT Unveils New Mobile Memory Chips
CXMT also announced two 24-gigabit LPDDR5X memory products manufactured using the new platform.
The company said the chips can store 50% more data than its previous equivalent products and have already entered mass production. The products are designed for smartphones and other portable electronics.
CXMT said the new platform was developed through computer simulations and cooperation with Chinese semiconductor equipment manufacturers on key production processes.
The development comes as China seeks to reduce its reliance on foreign semiconductor technology. US export controls introduced since 2022 have restricted China’s access to certain advanced chipmaking equipment and related software.