[Edaily Reporter JAEMIN SONG ] China’s largest DRAM manufacturer, Changxin Memory (CXMT), will launch server DRAM featuring the next-generation “4F²” cell structure by the end of this year. The company is expanding its business scope from consumer electronics and mobile products into the server memory market, which is currently dominated by SamsungElectronics and SK hynix.

China’s largest DRAM manufacturer, Changxin Memory (CXMT), will launch server DRAM featuring the next-generation “4F²” cell structure by the end of this year. The company is expanding its business scope from home appliance and mobile products into the server memory market, which is led by SamsungElectronics and SK hynix.

According to local Chinese media reports on the 12th, CXMT President Qiao Kanwei announced at the 4th Integrated Circuit and Chiplet Conference held recently in Shanghai that the company plans to release server-grade DDR5 modules (RDIMMs) featuring the 4F² structure by the end of the year.

4F² is a technology that reduces the area of a cell—the smallest unit for storing data in DRAM. Where “F” represents the minimum line width achievable in a semiconductor manufacturing process, this means designing the area of a single cell to be four times F squared.

This structure can reduce cell area by approximately 33% compared to the 6F² structure, which is currently the industry standard in DRAM. Since more cells can be packed onto a chip of the same size, this is advantageous for increasing memory density.

CXMT explained that it implemented the 4F² structure using its proprietary Vertical Surround Gate (VSG) transistors. By having the gate surround the vertical channel, the company claims to have reduced leakage current while simultaneously improving current control performance and integration density. CXMT also stated that it holds numerous patents related to the 4F² structure.

The first product to incorporate this technology is a server-grade DDR5 RDIMM. An RDIMM is a memory module designed to enable servers to process large volumes of data reliably. It requires a higher level of reliability—including error correction and long-term operational stability—than consumer-grade products.

CXMT has thus far focused its business on DRAM used in home appliances and mobile devices. With this product launch, the company plans to expand its product lineup into the server DRAM market, which has been dominated by SamsungElectronics, SK hynix, and U.S.-based Micron.

SamsungElectronics and SK hynix are also developing 4F² or similar next-generation cell structures to overcome the limits of DRAM miniaturization. SK hynix unveiled its 4F² technology roadmap last year, and SamsungElectronics is reportedly pursuing plans to apply this structure to next-generation DRAM processes at 10 nanometers (nm) or below.

CXMT is expanding its investments in advanced DRAM after raising up to 66.61 billion yuan (approximately 13.2 trillion won) through an initial public offering (IPO) last July. In August, the company officially announced the mass production of LPDDR6, a next-generation mobile DRAM, and in September, it announced that it had begun mass production of its fifth-generation DRAM process.