Elpida Begins 70nm DRAM Mass Production

By Ann Steffora Mutschler -- Electronic News, 12/26/2006

Tokyo-based DRAM giant Elpida Memory Inc. reported Monday that it has begun mass production of what it believes is the DRAM industry’s first 1Gbit and 512Mbit DDR2 SDRAMs on 70nm process technology.

The memory is being manufactured in Elpida’s main fab facility, Hiroshima Elpida Memory Inc.

Elpida also said it is currently realizing high yields and productivity from its 90nm process technology used in mass production and that the technology that has made those achievements possible has been applied to the development of the more advanced 70nm process technology.

The 70nm process technology allows 800MHz and 1GHz speed functionality in combination with high-performance operations, and also provides for a reduction in chip size allowing incrementally more chips per DRAM wafer which increases productivity and volume overall, the company continued.
 
Among 512Mbit products, Elpida believes its technology has made the world's smallest chip size for a 512Mbit DDR2 SDRAM possible.

Production of DDR2 SDRAM using 70nm processing has already started, and the first product shipments are expected to begin in Q1 2007.
 
Finally, Elpida added that it plans to make aggressive use of its new 70nm process technology in the production of Mobile RAM for mobile phones and other mobile equipment and in memory products used in high-end digital consumer equipment and across the entire server/PC market.