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01.14.2025
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SK hynix once again pushed the boundaries of DRAM innovation by developing the world’s first DDR51 product built using the 1c2 node in August 2024. The 16-gigabit (Gb) 1c DDR5 offers significantly improved operating speed and power efficiency compared to the previous generation, marking a pivotal step forward in DRAM process technology.
1Double Data Rate 5 (DDR5): A server DRAM that effectively handles the increasing demands of larger and more complex data workloads by offering enhanced bandwidth and power efficiency compared to the previous generation, DDR4.
21c: The sixth generation of the 10 nm DRAM process technology, which was developed in the order of 1x-1y-1z-1a-1b-1c.
Beyond the technical achievement, this milestone also highlights the strength of SK hynix’s refined validation process which plays a crucial role in ensuring the success of its DRAM lineup including DDR5 products.
This article examines how SK hynix’s innovative approach to validation, a process I am heavily involved in, enables the company to overcome the challenges of a diversifying server CPU ecosystem and ultimately reinforce its DRAM leadership.
Advancing DRAM Validation in an Increasingly Fragmented CPU Market
Throughout the development of its cutting-edge 1bnm and 1cnm DDR5 products, SK hynix has faced several significant challenges. For example, as each new DDR5 generation requires advancements in DRAM process technology, a stringent validation process is essential to confirm product performance, stability, and compatibility with customer systems. SK hynix has therefore had to continually update and enhance its validation methods for each iteration of DDR5.
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One of the biggest challenges has been navigating the increasingly diversified server CPU market. Historically, semiconductor companies focused validation efforts primarily on Intel architectures due to the tech giant’s dominance in the server CPU space. However, AMD and Arm-based processor suppliers have steadily gained market share, particularly in cloud computing and specialized workloads. As a result, the server CPU landscape has become increasingly complex and fragmented.
With a growing number of server CPU suppliers, SK hynix must ensure the compatibility and reliability of DDR5 products across a wider array of CPU architectures. By doing so, the company can improve the adoption of DDR5 solutions as server CPUs are integrated into a broad range of hardware. Furthermore, SK hynix is also required to ascertain customer requirements at an early stage as part of validation to ensure products meet their specific needs and are compatible with their systems.
In response to the challenge of validating new technologies in an increasingly diverse server CPU market, SK hynix is implementing advanced validation strategies to ensure the success of its server DRAM lineup.
The Three Cs of Validation: Compatibility, Collaboration, & Customized Testing
For its DDR5 products, SK hynix has taken its established validation strategy to a new level. Generally, the validation process begins in the pre-development phase with a meticulous review of design specifications to ensure compliance with JEDEC3 standards and alignment with customer needs. The company then prepares memory validation samples with external partners and works closely with SoC4 companies to develop test environments. As reputable third parties, these SoC companies play a key role in validation as they verify a product’s readiness for real-world system application. The latter stages of the validation process involve internal testing to identify and resolve any defects before samples are sent to SoC companies for final tests.
3JEDEC Solid State Technology Association: With over 350 member companies, JEDEC is the global leader in developing open standards for the microelectronics industry.
4System-on-chip (Soc): An integrated circuit that combines all the components of an electronic device onto a single chip.
While this validation process has proved to be successful for its products, SK hynix is differentiating its approach to the validation of its 1bnm and 1cnm DDR5 products. In particular, this DDR5 validation process involves three key aspects—compatibility, collaboration, and customized testing.
To ensure compatibility with various server CPUs, SK hynix is expanding its validation scope to a wider range of systems, including unreleased platforms. This involves working closely together with SoC companies to discuss required technologies and perform co-validation, thereby addressing any potential issues early on.
As well as working with external companies, SK hynix is also enhancing its internal collaboration to ensure the successful validation of its 1cnm DDR5. The process, design, and testing departments are all working together to improve the cost efficiency of test infrastructure and optimize the sample management and testing process. These departments are also addressing potential defects in advance through simulation and aging tests to enhance product reliability and stability.
Another key component of SK hynix’s validation strategy is the implementation of customer-specific testing scenarios. As each customer has different requirements and product lineups, SK hynix has developed tests during the scale and volume testing stages to identify potential defects that can occur under various scenarios. This approach enables the company to meet the unique needs of its customers while aiming to ensure the broad compatibility and reliability of its 1cnm DDR5.
SK hynix’s overall approach to innovation has also played a key role in its successful validation efforts. The company prioritizes recognizing and rewarding the process itself rather than solely focusing on outcomes. This helps to foster a culture of innovation, encouraging employees to strive for goals such as the validation of the 1cnm DDR5.
Validation: The Final Step to DDR5 Excellence
SK hynix’s commitment to rigorous validation has yielded impressive results, enabling the company to achieve significant milestones in DDR5 development. In 2020, the company launched the world’s first DDR5 DRAM and followed this up with the industry-first validation of its 1anm DDR5 with the 4th Gen Intel® Xeon® Scalable processor in January 2023. Just a few months after this pioneering validation, the company developed the industry’s most advanced 1bnm DDR5 and begun validation with Intel.
These achievements also highlight the company’s capability to repeatedly advance the 10 nm process technology, a core goal of the semiconductor industry. SK hynix’s validation strategy has played a key role in these breakthroughs and the company is continuing this momentum with the ongoing validation of the 1cnm DDR5.
The 1cnm DDR5 delivers 11% faster operating speeds of 8 gigabits per second (Gbps) and improves power efficiency by more than 9% compared to the previous generation, setting a new standard in DRAM performance. Throughout the product’s ongoing validation, which is progressing smoothly, SK hynix has provided CPU companies with samples for validation with both released CPUs and those under development. This process aims to confirm product performance and ensure optimal operation, as well as to ensure future stable product supply.
One key result of the 1c DDR5’s groundbreaking development is that it has set a benchmark for other DRAM product lines to be developed with the 1c node, including HBM5, LPDDR6, and GDDR7. This achievement is also likely to streamline the validation process for these other 1c products by confirming their quality upfront, mitigating potential risks and enhancing reliability.
5High Bandwidth Memory (HBM): A high-value, high-performance product that possesses much higher data processing speeds compared to existing DRAMs by vertically connecting multiple DRAMs with through-silicon via (TSV).
6Low Power Double Data Rate (LPDDR): A line of low-power DRAM for mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets, aimed at minimizing power consumption and featuring low voltage operation.
7Graphics DDR (GDDR): A standard specification of graphics DRAM defined by JEDEC and specialized for processing graphics more quickly. It is now one of the most popular memory chips for AI and big data applications.
Looking at the overall validation process, the company aims to improve efficiency by developing a system that achieves maximum results with minimal resources. This will be achieved through strengthened collaboration with SoC companies involving discussions on various validation strategies.
Furthermore, to respond quickly to any changes to plans and urgent sample requests, internal collaboration will be key to improving the sample production process.
1cnm DDR5 is Just the Beginning
The successful development and ongoing validation of the 1cnm DDR5 underscore the company’s unwavering commitment to innovation and adaptability. By addressing the challenges posed by a diversifying server CPU market, SK hynix has successfully ensured the compatibility, reliability, and performance of its recent DDR5 products across a wide range of platforms. These efforts have solidified the company’s reputation as a leader in the DRAM sector while paving the way for future technological advancements. Through proactive collaboration, ensuring broad system compatibility, and customer-centric testing, the company is well-equipped to navigate the complexities of next-generation memory scaling for years to come.
Learn More: https://news.skhynix.com/
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