Samsung 1c DRAM Delayed by Six Months

According to South Korean media outlet MoneyToday, Samsung Electronics has postponed the development of its sixth-generation 10nm-class 1c DRAM process. Originally scheduled for completion by the end of 2024, the process is now expected to be finalized by June 2025 due to challenges in achieving satisfactory yield rates. This delay will also push back the production timeline for Samsung's sixth-generation High Bandwidth Memory (HBM4), previously slated for the second half of 2025.

Industry insiders revealed that while Samsung delivered its first test chips for the 1c DRAM process in late 2024, the yield rates fell short of expectations, prompting the company to extend the development period by six months. During this time, Samsung aims to improve the yield rate to approximately 70%. Historically, the development cycle for each DRAM process generation spans around 18 months. However, since the launch of its fifth-generation 10nm-class 1b DRAM in May 2023, Samsung has not provided updates on the progress of the 1c DRAM process.

If the typical six-month transition from development to mass production is applied, the sixth-generation 1c DRAM is unlikely to enter production until late 2025. This timeline could significantly impact the development of Samsung's HBM products, which rely on the 1c DRAM process. The core application of the 1c DRAM process is DDR5 memory, with HBM being a derivative product. As such, delays in DDR5 production are likely to push HBM4 production into 2026, undermining Samsung's competitiveness in the HBM market.

Samsung has announced plans to focus heavily on the sixth-generation 10nm-class 1c DRAM process in the first half of 2025 to accelerate yield improvements. While its competitor SK Hynix has taken a more conservative approach by using the fifth-generation 10nm-class 1b DRAM process for HBM4, Samsung is determined to make significant advancements in performance and energy efficiency. Achieving this goal, however, hinges on the company's ability to quickly begin mass production.

Industry sources indicate that Samsung is actively revising some aspects of its 1c DRAM design to overcome these challenges.