Samsung Reportedly Overhauls 1c DRAM Process to Enhance Yield Rates, Influencing HBM4 Development

Samsung is reportedly setting its sights on reshaping its 6th-generation 1c DRAM to boost yield rates and get ahead of its forthcoming HBM4 technology.

Samsung’s 1c DRAM chip is poised to be a critical component for the firm’s HBM4 process and overall success in the memory market. According to ZDNet Korea, Samsung is reconsidering its approach to the 1c DRAM process, which could play a pivotal role in the triumph of its HBM4 initiatives. It seems the company has been reassessing designs for its cutting-edge DRAM processes since the latter half of 2024. By redesigning its advanced 1c DRAM, Samsung aims to overcome the hurdles that hindered previous HBM versions, such as the HBM3, which struggled to gain traction with major players like NVIDIA.

The image from KED Global showcases Samsung’s industry-first 12 nm DRAM, which stands ready to work seamlessly with AMD.

ZDNet Korea’s report suggests that Samsung’s advanced DRAM processes weren’t hitting the targeted yield rates, which hovered around 60%-70%. This low yield prevented the company from proceeding with mass production. The root of the issue appears to be in the size of the 1c DRAM chip. Initially, Samsung endeavored to reduce the chip size to increase production volume, but this move compromised process stability, leading to unsatisfactory yield rates.

“Samsung Electronics has altered the design of its 1c DRAM to enlarge its chip size, focusing on enhancing yields with an eye on stabilizing mass production of next-generation memory, even if it means incurring higher costs,” ZDNet Korea reports.

The 1c DRAM process is integral to how Samsung’s HBM4 products will eventually perform. With competitors like SK Hynix and Micron having already fine-tuned their own designs, Samsung faces a race against time. The firm’s reputation has taken a hit, particularly after the HBM3 debacle, making it crucial that the 1c DRAM process meets industry standards.

Currently, there’s a degree of uncertainty surrounding how Samsung’s 6th-generation DRAM process will unfold. However, some speculate that developments in the coming months could pave the way for Samsung’s HBM4 process to enter mass production, potentially by the end of the year.