[News] Micron Pioneers 1γ DDR5 Samples with Reduced EUV Use, But Future Risks Loom

In late February, Micron announced in a press release that it had delivered 1γ (gamma) DDR5 samples to customers like Intel and AMD, becoming the first in the memory sector to do so. Notably, according to Chosun Biz, Micron applied EUV equipment to only one layer in the sample.

The report suggests that the U.S. memory giant plans to accelerate cutting-edge DRAM mass production by minimizing the use of advanced extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment. Instead, the company relies more on the mature argon fluoride immersion (ArFi) process, as noted in the report.

According to ASML, its next-gen DUV lithography systems uses argon-fluoride (ArF) excimer lasers, producing light with a 193 nm wavelength, allowing feature sizes down to 38 nm to be printed. On the other hand, EUV lithography, exclusive to ASML, uses light with a 13.5 nm wavelength—over 14 times shorter than DUV light.

Samsung and SK hynix: Take a Different Path

In contrast, Samsung and SK hynix aim to rely more on EUV layers as they advance DRAM technology. Samsung, the first to adopt EUV in memory production since 2020, plans to apply over five EUV layers in its 6th-gen 10nm DRAM (1c), the report notes.

According to a previous ZDNet report, Samsung plans to apply 1c DRAM to HBM4 production, as it aims to gain a competitive edge over archrivals like SK hynix and Micron. However, the report also revealed that Samsung’s 1c DRAM has faced yield issues since development started.

Following Samsung, SK hynix introduced EUV equipment to its DRAM production in 2021, as per the Chosun Biz. For its next-gen 1c DRAM, SK hynix reportedly aims to apply more than five EUV layers, similar to Samsung.

Micron’s Future Challenges

While Micron’s strategy of reducing reliance on EUV machines may temporarily save on investment, it could soon face a critical turning point.

An industry source quoted by Chosun Biz mentions that Micron’s use of ArFi lithography, which requires more process steps than EUV, may lower yields over time. The source explains that replacing one EUV layer with multi-patterning using ArFi equipment may not be difficult for now, but as EUV layers increase, especially beyond three, the gap in difficulty will widen.

Read more

• [News] Micron Races Ahead in 10nm-class DRAM with 1γ DDR5 Samples Delivered to Intel & AMD
• [News] Micron Strengthens Board with Former TSMC Chairman Mark Liu, Hinting at Deeper HBM Collaboration

(Photo credit: Micron)