Samsung has announced that it has started mass production of first 16-gigabit (Gb) LPDDR5 mobile DRAM, using extreme ultraviolet (EUV) technology and is built on Samsung’s third-generation 10nm-class (1z) process.
It offers 6,400 megabits per second (Mb/s) speed, which is 16% faster than the 12Gb LPDDR5 (5,500Mb/s) that was introduced last year. Due to 1z process, the LPDDR5 package is 30% thinner than its predecessor, enabling 5G and multi-camera smartphones as well as foldable devices to pack more functionality into a slim design.
The 16Gb LPDDR5 can build a 16GB package with only eight chips, whereas its 1y-based predecessor requires 12 chips (eight 12Gb chips and four 8Gb chips) to provide the same capacity.
Samsung plans to further strengthen its presence in the flagship mobile device market throughout 2021 and will also expand the use of its LPDDR5 offerings into automotive applications, offering an extended temperature range to meet strict safety and reliability standards in extreme environments.
Samsung Mobile DRAM Timeline: Production/Mass Production
| Date | Capacity | Mobile DRAM |
| Aug 2020 | 16GB | 10nm-class EUV 16Gb LPDDR5, 6400Mb/s |
| Dec 2019 | 16GB | 10nm-class 12Gb+8Gb LPDDR5, 5500Mb/s |
| Sep 2019 | 12GB (uMCP) | 10nm-class 24Gb LPDDR4X, 4266Mb/s |
| Jul 2019 | 12GB | 10nm-class 12Gb LPDDR5, 5500Mb/s |
| Jun 2019 | 6GB | 10nm-class 12Gb LPDDR5, 5500Mb/s |
| Feb 2019 | 12GB | 10nm-class 16Gb LPDDR4X, 4266Mb/s |
| Jul 2018 | 8GB | 10nm-class 16Gb LPDDR4X, 4266Mb/s |
| Apr 2018 | 8GB (development) |
10nm-class 8Gb LPDDR5, 6400Mb/s |
| Sep 2016 | 8GB | 10nm-class 16Gb LPDDR4X, 4266Mb/s |
| Aug 2015 | 6GB | 20nm 12Gb LPDDR4, 4266Mb/s |
| Dec 2014 | 4GB | 20nm 8Gb LPDDR4, 3200Mb/s |
| Sep 2014 | 3GB | 20nm 6Gb LPDDR3, 2133Mb/s |
| Nov 2013 | 3GB | 20nm-class 6Gb LPDDR3, 2133Mb/s |
| Jul 2013 | 3GB | 20nm-class 4Gb LPDDR3, 2133Mb/s |
| Apr 2013 | 2GB | 20nm-class 6Gb LPDDR3, 2133Mb/s |
| Aug 2012 | 2GB | 30nm-class 4Gb LPDDR3, 1600Mb/s |
| 2011 | 1/2GB | 30nm-class 4Gb LPDDR2, 1066Mb/s |
| 2010 | 512MB | 40nm-class 2Gb MDDR, 400Mb/s |
| 2009 | 256MB | 50nm-class 1Gb MDDR, 400Mb/s |
Samsung Pyeongtaek Line 2
Samsung also announced its second production line in Pyeongtaek spanning more than 128,900 square meters (over 1.3 million square feet) — equivalent to about 16 soccer fields making it the largest-scale semiconductor production line to date. The new 16Gb LPDDR5 DRAM is being mass-produced in this line.
“The new Pyeongtaek line will serve as the key manufacturing hub for the industry’s most advanced semiconductor technologies, delivering cutting-edge DRAM followed by next-generation V-NAND and foundry solutions, while reinforcing the company’s leadership in the Industry 4.0 era,” said the company.