China’s CXMT Reports Progress on Denser 4F Memory Chip Design

China’s memory chipmaker ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) has reported “key progress” in a new chip structure also being pursued by Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix to increase memory density.

The development centres on CXMT’s proprietary transistor design, which the company says could increase storage density and improve efficiency.

New server-memory product planned

CXMT plans to roll out a new server-memory product based on the structure by the end of 2026, according to president Cao Kanyu.

Cao Kanyu made the statement at an industrial event in Shanghai over the weekend, according to a company statement.

The structure at the centre of the development is called the “4F square” design.

Under this design, each memory cell occupies an area of four square F, with F representing the minimum line width of a semiconductor.

The smaller cell structure is intended to raise storage density by allowing more cells to fit onto a single chip.

How the design differs from current DRAM

Mainstream commercial dynamic random-access memory, or DRAM, currently uses a 6F square-cell structure.

The contrast between the 6F structure used in mainstream commercial DRAM and CXMT’s 4F design highlights the company’s focus on fitting more memory cells into the same chip area.

Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are also working on the structure as they seek to boost memory density, placing CXMT’s reported progress in a wider competition among major memory-chip companies.

CXMT’s planned server-memory product will be based on the structure and is scheduled for rollout by the end of 2026.

Source: South China Morning Post