Japan’s largest supplier of dynamic random access memory – Elpida Memory – on Tuesday announced that its Hiroshima Plant had begun volume production of 2Gb DDR3 SDRAM chips using 40nm process technology. Thin process technology not only allows Elpida to make more affordable memory chips, but it also underlines its own excellence: according to the company, it took only two months to ramp up mass production.

The new 2Gb DDR3 SDRAM achieves 44% more chips per wafer compared with Elpida's 50nm DDR3 SDRAM and a 100% yield for DDR3 products that operate at 1600MHz, the fastest officially ratified speed standard for current DDR3. Compared with 50nm products, it uses about two-thirds less current and supports 1.2V/1.35V operation as well as DDR3 standard 1.5V, resulting in reduced power consumption of around 50%. Naturally, the new chips support higher clock-speed and higher voltages, thus, may become an interesting options for overclockers provided that 40nm process technology allows tangible boost of voltage settings.

Since completing development of the 2Gb 40nm DDR3 SDRAM last October it has taken Elpida only two months to ramp up mass production.

Initially, Elpida plans a phased expansion of 40nm 2Gb DDR3 SDRAM mass production at its Hiroshima Plant. In the second quarter of 2010, 40nm process production will also begin at Rexchip, a subsidiary in Taiwan, to increase the manufacture of 40nm process products in order to lower products costs. Depending on conditions in the DRAM market, Elpida may transfer 40nm process technology to foundry partners ProMOS and Winbond to expand production based on this technology to an even higher level.

Tags: Elpida, DDR3, 40nm