CXMT Announces Mass Production of 5th-Generation DRAM Platform, Claims Parity with Samsung and Micron

China's largest DRAM manufacturer CXMT announced that it has begun mass production of its 5th-generation technology platform. The company claims that the platform's process capability is equivalent to the industry's most advanced mass-production nodes, explaining that it achieved an 11.95nm active area half-pitch and a 45:1 storage capacitor aspect ratio.

By applying 4-exposure patterning technology, the platform increased the number of dies per wafer by more than 50% compared to 4th-generation products based on 8Gb. Currently, two 24Gb LPDDR5X memory products based on this platform are in mass production; these are low-power memories for smartphones and portable devices with 50% more data capacity than previous products.

Unconfirmed Yield and Price Competitiveness

The "50% increase in dies per wafer" presented by CXMT is based on gross dies before defect removal. The yield, which is the ratio of profitable chips, has not been disclosed. Additionally, performance comparison data against products from competitors such as Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron has not been verified by third parties.

Strategy to Bypass US Export Controls

Due to US government export controls on advanced semiconductor equipment (since 2022), CXMT cannot use the single-exposure process used by competitors. Instead, it implemented fine patterns through 4-exposure patterning technology. This allows for precise chip manufacturing without equipment licenses, but it increases process complexity and cost.

Market Impact and Outlook

Currently, the global memory shortage is driving up prices for consumer devices. Acer CEO Jason Chen stated that DDR4 and DDR5 are not particularly scarce at present, and expressed skepticism about forecasts that the shortage will persist until 2030, citing increased Chinese supply. He predicted that PC prices would rise by 5–20% in the fourth quarter, peak in mid-2027, and then decline, but noted that a seller's market would continue in the short term. CXMT's emergence offers Western companies a new supply source, but actual mass adoption depends on yield and price competitiveness.