South Korea-based DRAM manufacturer Hynix has unveiled a DRAM chip that runs at 800 MHz -- the fastest memory speed yet. Its triple-metal design, based on a layered, three-dimensional architecture, represents a significant advance for Hynix. The new memory technology will be available in DDR2 modules in the first half of 2007.
eMarketer Whitepaper: Optimizing the E-Commerce Experience
From the Web to the Contact Center, are you prepared to proactively engage and keep your savvy customers? Read how e-commerce leaders are optimizing their sites with ratings, reviews, live help, Web analytics, mobile and more.
Semiconductor maker
Hynix announced Monday that it has developed a smaller dynamic random access memory chip using a 60-nanometer process that -- at 800 MHz -- is the world's fastest. The improved DRAM reportedly delivers 1 GB capacity along with the blazing speed, which tops the performance of existing 667 Mhz DRAM chips.
The feat shows that Hynix, a relatively small competitor in a memory market dominated by
Samsung, is nevertheless a force in the industry.
"Hynix is sometimes not all that highly regarded as a technology leader," Objective Analysis Director Jim Handy told TechNewsWorld. "Getting to 1 GB proves they're no slouch in the R&D department."
Memory Step
Hynix signaled that the new memory technology would be available in double data rate 2 (DDR2) modules in the first half of 2007.
The company -- which relied on a layered, three-dimensional architecture to create the new memory chips -- also touted the more efficient 60-nm fabrication process.
The memory's triple-metal design, which does not require stacking because of the smaller size, represents a significant advance for Hynix. "Moving to a third metal layer is a big step," Handy said.
Innovative Benefits
Handy, who said DDR2 continues to live beyond expectations, while the ramp-up to DDR3 is underway, also commented on a part of the chip manufacturing process known as the "chemical metal polish" (CMP).
Although DRAM manufacturers have avoided the technology in the past, CMP may provide some better yields for Hynix than it has for other chip makers. "It's quite possible they may be enjoying better yield than their competitors," Handy said.
DRAM Catch
The latest DRAM technology from Hynix shows industry progress, but performance is still hampered by the time
required to access it and cue it, Gartner (NYSE: IT) Research Vice President Martin Reynolds told TechNewsWorld.
"There's still this problem of access time, which isn't going to get any better," he said. Also, DRAM is almost a commodity market, and it is difficult for companies such as Hynix to differentiate their products, he noted.
"It's just a question of delivering flawlessly on the price point people want," he concluded.
IBM Boosts Development of Flash Memory Successor December 11, 2006
Phase-change memory could enable future generations of high-density "nonvolatile" memory devices that do not need electrical power to retain information, according to scientists from IBM, Macronix and Qimonda. The firms' joint research describes phase-change memory as faster than flash and scalable to smaller dimensions.
Related Stories
States Sue Chip Makers for Price Fixing July 14, 2006
New York and 34 other U.S. states are suing DRAM chip makers for alleged price fixing. The action grew out of a U.S. antitrust case brought against the firms following a federal investigation in 2002. Recent settlements in that case netted $730 million in fines paid by Samsung, Hynix, Infineon and Elpida.
Related News Alerts
More by Jay Lyman
Open Source Developer Dumps Novell Over Microsoft Deal December 26, 2006
A key open source developer, Jeremy Allison, who cofounded the Samba project, has resigned from Novell in protest over the company's recent agreement to enter a collaborative arrangement with Microsoft. The deal has created an uproar in the open source community because it does not treat all recipients of the GPL equally and thus violates the spirit of the license, critics say.
Financial Firms Tap Microsoft for Linux December 22, 2006
Three major financial institutions are among the first companies to go to Microsoft for Linux services, provided through an agreement the software giant struck with Novell. Although a recent survey showed customer approval of the collaboration, many members of the open source community view Novell's move as sleeping with the devil.
Mozilla Beefs Up Security in Firefox 2.0 December 21, 2006
Mozilla's latest update to its open source Firefox browser includes security measures targeting phishers. Phishing scams that use social engineering techniques to dupe Web surfers into revealing personal financial information have become an effective way for cybercriminals to conduct their nefarious activities on the Internet.
Headline Feeds
Talkback: 
