News

posted on 25 April 2008 20:53

Two DRAM manufacturers; jilted Qimonda and down-in-the-dumps Elpida, are considering merging together or forming a joint venture. Qimonda's need to consider such options was becoming well understood, Elpida's less so.

At a Tokyo press conference on April 24, the two announced that they have exchanged a memorandum of understanding (MOU) about joint DRAM manufacturing with free cross-licensing of each other's technologies.

They will co-develop a 40nm DRAM process using both their technologies. It will use a cell half the size of their current processes and reduce DRAM chip size by 30 percent. A 30nm process is anticipated after that.

The MOU talks about them building a joint plant, making each other's products and merging their respective managements.

The companies are also discussing joint development of Phase-change RAM (PRAM) and also magneto-resistive RAM (MRAM) together with other potential technologies such as Si through-hole electrode technology.

Qimonda did use a trench technology that was incompatible with Elpida processes. However Qimonda announced 'stack-type buried wordline' technology in February this year which was compatible with Elpida's stack capacitor technology. With the obstacle removed the two companies began talks in March.

Qimonda is the world's third largest DRAM manufacturer and Elpida is the fourth largest.

^{[Chris Mellor.]}