Micron, Nanya announce 42-nm DRAM process

LONDON — Micron Technology Inc. (Boise, Idaho) and Nanya Technology Corp. (Taoyuan, Taiwan) have unveiled a 42-nm DRAM process technology, and claimed to have a 30-something-nanometer process working in the lab. The 42-nm process uses copper metallization technology and produces a 2-Gbit DDR3 memory device.

The 42-nm process operates from 1.35-volts. The move from 1.5-volts to 1.35 volts produces power savings of up to 30-percent.

The 2-Gbit 42-nm DDR3 device delivers is capable of transferring data at up to 1866-Mbits per second. Sampling is scheduled to start in the second quarter of 2010, with the production ramp planned for the second half of the year, Micron said.

"With the move to 42-nm — and with a 3X-nm process working in our R&D fab in Boise — Micron's expertise in copper metallization and proprietary cell capacitor technology has enabled us to stay on the cutting-edge of DRAM process design and innovation," said Robert Feurle, vice president of DRAM marketing, in a statement.

"Nanya plans to serve the server and PC market, as well as the consumer market, with this latest technology device," said Pei Lin Pai, vice president of global sales and marketing for Nanya, in the same statement.