Seoul, Korea: Samsung Electronics is sampling what it claims is the industry's smallest 2Gb double-data-rate (DDR) DDR3 devices. By using 50nm circuit technology, productivity of the devices is said to be 60% higher than DDR2 devices of an equivalent density. The new 2Gb DDR3-based modules, which make it possible to use up to 16Gb RIMMs (registered in-line memory modules), will save over 40% of the power of 1Gb DDR3 memory modules.
Thanks to the device's small form factor, up to 8GB of memory chips can be used for RIMMs, as well as 4GBs for SODIMMs (small outline dual in-line memory modules) and UDIMMs (unregistered in-line memory modules), without the need for stacking components.
In addition, 2Gb DDR3 RIMMs can be designed to 16Gb by applying dual-die packages. The 2Gb chip replaces dual-chip solutions having two 1Gb memory devices, and reduces power consumption by at least 40%, which is critical in server applications as well as next-generation desktops and notebooks.
The 2Gb device supports a data rate of up to 1.3Gbps at 1.5V or 1.35V. Furthermore, the reduced number of DDR3 chips lowers heat emissions. The 50nm-class process being used to manufacture Samsung's 2Gb DDR3 is expected to become Samsung's primary DRAM process technology next year. Mass production is slated to begin later this year.