Samsung has unveiled its plans for next-gen DRAM & memory solutions including GDDR7, DDR5, LPDDR5X & V-NAND.
Samsung Details Next-gen 36 Gbps GDDR7, 32Gb DDR5, 8.5 Gbps LPDDR5X & 1000+ Layers V-NAND DRAM & Memory Solutions
The three major DRAM and memory solutions announced by Samsung include their 32Gb DRAM densities which will enable 2x the capacities vs the existing 16Gb 33% increase over the 24Gb DDR5 ICs which have been in development for some time now.
The company also announced its first GDDR7 memory spec which will offer transfer rates of up to 36 Gbps. That's a 50% increase in speed compared to Samsung's current fastest 24 Gbps GDDR6 memory solution that launched for production last quarter. AMD's next-gen RDNA 3 GPUs are expected to be amongst the first to feature the brand new GDDR6 modules but GDDR7 has to wait for a generation or two before we get to see it in action.
A 36 Gbps DRAM interface across a 384-bit bus should provide up to 1.7 TB/s of bandwidth whereas a 256-bit bus interface with the same speed will deliver up to 1.15 TB/s bandwidth. Both are much higher bandwidth figures versus what current-gen GDDR6X solutions from Micron have to offer.
Press Release: Samsung Electronics, a world leader in advanced semiconductor technology, today showcased a series of cutting-edge semiconductor solutions set to drive digital transformation through the decade, at Samsung Tech Day 2022. An annual conference since 2017, the event returned to in-person attendance at the Signia by Hilton San Jose hotel after three years.
This year’s event, attended by more than 800 customers and partners, featured presentations from Samsung’s Memory and System LSI business leaders — including Jung-bae Lee, President and Head of Memory Business; Yong-In Park, President and Head of System LSI Business; and Jaeheon Jeong, Executive Vice President and Head of Device Solutions (DS) Americas Office — on the company’s latest advancements and its vision for the future.
Next-Generation Logic Chips Showcased
Samsung Electronics revealed a number of advanced logic chip technology for the first time at the Tech Day booth, including 5G Exynos Modem 5300, Exynos Auto V920, and QD OLED DDI, which are essential parts of various industries such as mobile, home appliance and automotive.
Chips that were newly released or announced this year including the premium mobile processor Exynos 2200 were also on display, along with the 200MP ISOCELL HP3 — the image sensor with the industry’s smallest 0.56-micrometer (μm)-pixels.
Built on the most advanced 4-nanometer (nm) EUV (extreme ultraviolet lithography) process and combined with cutting-edge mobile, GPU, and NPU technology, the Exynos 2200 provides the finest experience for smartphone users. The ISOCELL HP3, with a 12 percent smaller pixel size than the predecessor’s 0.64μm, can enable an approximately 20 percent reduction in camera module surface area, allowing smartphone manufacturers to keep their premium devices slim.
Samsung showcased its ISOCELL HP3 in action by showing the attendees of Tech Day the picture quality of photographs taken with a 200MP sensor camera, as well as demonstrating the workings of System LSI’s fingerprint security IC for biometric payment cards that combines a fingerprint sensor, Secure Element (SE) and Secure Processor, adding an extra layer of authentication and security in payment cards.
Memory Business Highlights
In a year marking 30 years and 20 years of leadership in DRAM and NAND flash memory respectively, Samsung unveiled its fifth-generation 10nm-class (1b) DRAM as well as eighth- and ninth-generation Vertical NAND (V-NAND), affirming the company’s commitment to continue providing the most powerful combination of memory technologies over the next decade.
DRAM Solutions to Advance Data Intelligence
Samsung’s 1b DRAM is currently under development with plans for mass production in 2023. To overcome challenges in DRAM scaling beyond the 10nm range, the company has been developing disruptive solutions in patterning, materials, and architecture, with technology like High-K material well underway.
The company then highlighted upcoming DRAM solutions such as 32Gb DDR5 DRAM, 8.5Gbps LPDDR5X DRAM, and 36Gbps GDDR7 DRAM that will bring new capabilities to the data center, HPC, mobile, gaming, and automotive market segments.
Expanding beyond conventional DRAM, Samsung also underscored the importance of tailored DRAM solutions such as HBM-PIM, AXDIMM, and CXL that can fuel system-level innovation in better handling the explosive growth of data worldwide.
1,000+ V-NAND Layers by 2030
Since its inception a decade ago, Samsung’s V-NAND technology has progressed through eight generations, bringing 10 times the layer count and 15 times the bit growth. Samsung’s most recent, 512Gb eighth-generation V-NAND features a bit density improvement of 42%, attaining the industry’s highest bit density among 512Gb triple-level cell (TLC) memory products to date. The world’s highest capacity 1Tb TLC V-NAND will be available to customers by the end of the year.
The company also noted that its ninth-generation V-NAND is under development and slated for mass production in 2024. By 2030, Samsung envisions stacking over 1,000 layers to better enable the data-intensive technologies of the future.
As AI and big data applications drive the need for faster and higher-capacity memory, Samsung will continue to leapfrog bit density by accelerating the transition to quad-level cell (QLC), while further enhancing power efficiency in support of more sustainable customer operations worldwide.
