Samsung shows 2 Gbit DDR2 SDRAM in 80 nm

Seoul - Samsung announced the industry's first 2 Gigabit DDR2 SDRAM manufactured in 80 nm process technology. The new DDR2 solution will enhance server and workstation performance and enable faster deployment of memory intensive applications such as real time video conferences, the company said.

First prototypes of the technology already had been displayed by Samsung in September of 2003, when it was expected that 80nm modules would first appear in the shape of DDR3 in 2004. Now, Samsung said it will introduce 80nm DDR2 SDRAMs in the second half of 2005.

According to the company, the announced device also overcomes previous industry expectations that 2 Gbit DRAM manufacturing would require sub 65nm circuitry. Samsung believes that 80nm technology will allow Samsung to scale memory modules up to to eight GByte.

The new DRAM technology includes a 3D transistor technology, recess channel array transistor (RCAT), and a new concept architecture process. First introduced 2003, RCAT is proprietary to Samsung and reduces transistor area space by implementing a 3D structural design, increasing the integration level for higher density on a given area.

In a separate announcement, Samsung said it has developed the industry's first 60 nm 8 Gbit NAND Flash memory which will enable larger capacities of Flash devices. The new process technology is two thousandths the width of a piece of human hair, according to Samsung, and achieves approximately 30 percent reduction in cell size over the 70nm 4 Gbit NAND Flash memory developed last year.

The 8 Gbit NAND flash memory would allow designs of up to 16 GByte of storage on a single memory card, the company said.