Elpida Memory, the largest maker of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) in Japan, announced this week that it had started to supply its customers 2Gb memory chips with up to 800MHz frequency for high-performance servers. The chips are produced using 80nm process technology. The company indicated that it would ship the parts commercially once there is a demand.

“Inherent in the 80nm production process technology is the fact that devices using this process will be even smaller in size, although their density is greater. Based on market demand, Elpida intends to use the 80nm process for its most advanced DRAM devices at its newly expanded 300 mm wafer manufacturing facility (the E300 Fab) in Hiroshima, Japan,” said Jun Kitano, director of technical marketing for Elpida Memory USA.

The 2Gb DDR2 SDRAM devices are available in three different data rate speeds: 533MHz, 667MHz and 800MHz. The chips are organized as 64M words x 4 bits x 8 banks or as 32M words x 8 bits x 8 banks. The supply voltage (VDD) for such chips is 1.8V+/-0.1V, and the operating temperature range (Tc) is 0 to 85°C. The devices are available in 68-ball FBGA packages for easy mounting on contemporary memory modules.

Using 2Gb memory chips Elpida will be able to create 4GB or 8GB memory modules, which are suitable for servers. However, currently there are no announced server platform that support 800MHz DDR2 memory.

Elpida’s 80nm process technology features advanced layout, circuitry and design. It also utilizes an ArF scanner, an advanced lithography technology, which is key in the development of advanced process technology, the company said.

Volume production is expected to begin by the end of this fiscal year, which ends on March 31, 2006, in accordance with market demand. Pricing for these products will be based on market conditions at that time.