How Small Can You Go?
SK Hynix has started the mass production of 20-nano class DRAM semiconductors. Also, the company is accelerating the mass production of 36-layer 3D NAND flash chips by the end of this year and 48-layer products next year.
During an interview with reporters with Oct. 13, an official from SK Hynix said, “The company has introduced the new 20-nanometer DRAM processing technology. We had difficulties but stablized it. We sent samples to our customers and we are mass producing the products.”
Accordingly, SK Hynix has become the world’s second semiconductor producer succeeding in mass producing 20-nano class DRAM, following Samsung Electronics. Samsung Electronics succeeded in mass producing 20-nano class DRAM products in March last year.
SK Hynix also announced the development plan for 3D NAND flash products. President Park Sung-wook said, “It is a process to verify a new technology. We are planning to produce a little few 36-layer 3D NAND flash chips by stages this year, and mass produce 48-layer products next year in earnest.”
He said that we should watch next-generation DRAM more. Park said, “New memory will be good, but we are focusing more on extending the merits of existing DRAM and NAND products. Rather than releasing a new memory chip in the market, we are trying to find the way to bring out the good in existing memory chips.”
In regard to DRAM market conditions, he had a negative outlook. Park said, “The PC DRAM market will be not good, while the mobile DRAM market will be moderately good. As we believe that the price of DRAM chips will continuously drop, we are preparing according to this.”
In regard to its system semiconductor business, he said, “It can’t be done in a short time. We have concluded to improve our current abilities further. Without internal competence, there are even no mergers and acquisitions. We will first develop our abilities, including foundry, then think about our next step.”