Samsung Electronics on Tuesday said that it had started volume production of 32GB registered DIMMs based on 4Gb DDR3 chips made using 30nm-class process technology. The world’s largest maker of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) claims that the new modules consume less energy than predecessors and therefore will enable more energy-efficient servers. Besides, the company promised to unveil 20nm-class process for DRAMs later in 2011.

Samsung’s new 32GB RDIMM performs at up to 1866MHz clock-speed with 1.35V voltage, achieving a 40% improvement over a 1333MHz , 40nm-class 32GB RDIMM operating at 1.5V, therein consuming 18% less power. Samsung’s 30nm-class 4Gb DDR3 chip offers an approximate 50% increase in productivity over a 40nm-class 4Gb DDR3, and as a result is expected to achieve rapid market penetration due to lower costs.

“With this module, Samsung has secured the highest level of product and solution competitiveness in the DRAM market for PC, server and mobile applications,” said Wanhoon Hong, executive vice president, memory sales & marketing at Samsung Electronics.

Samsung started producing monolithic 4Gb DDR3 DRAM devices based on 30nm-class technology in February, 2011, about a year after the introduction of the fabrication process itself and also about twelve months after it started producing 40nm-class 4Gb DDR3 DRAM devices.

At present, Samsung already offers a number of products based on its 4Gb DDR3 chips produced using 30nm-class process technology, including 16GB RDIMMs for servers, 8GB SO-DIMMs for small form-factor systems and others.

Samsung expects to have more than 10% of its total DRAM chip production in 2012 at the 4Gb (or higher) density. According to HIS market tracker, shipments of 4Gb DRAM are expected to account for approximately 10% of total DRAM shipments in 2012, 35% in 2013 and up to 57% in 2014.

Separately, Samsung announced that it plans to reveal its first DRAM chips made using 20nm-class process technology later this year.

“We also plan to ship more energy-efficient 4Gb DDR3 DRAM based on 20nm-class process technology in the second half of this year, which will significantly expand the rapidly growing market for green IT memory solutions. Moreover, we intend to keep delivering the greenest memory products with optimal performance for customers,” said Mr. Hong.

Tags: Samsung, DRAM, DDR3, 20nm