Business · Companies · 4 hrs ago
CXMT’s New DRAM Design Raises Concerns, but Mass-Production Risks Remain
China’s CXMT says it will use a new DRAM design in server memory this year.
The design, called 4F², has cells that are 33% smaller than the widely used 6F² structure, allowing more data to fit in the same area.
CXMT says it plans to apply the technology to server DDR5 memory and release it within the year.
The announcement raised concern that Samsung and SK Hynix could lose their technology lead, and memory-company shares fell globally.
But showing a technology in a sample is different from making it reliably and economically at large scale.
Analysts say mass-production reliability has not been proven, and CXMT faces limits in securing EUV equipment.
For now, analysts say it is too early to call CXMT a real threat to South Korea’s chip industry.
CXMT’s plan to use a new 4F² DRAM cell structure in server DDR5 products has raised concerns about competition in the global memory market.
The company said it would apply the technology within the year.
The 4F² structure can reduce cell area by 33% compared with the widely used 6F² structure.
Some feared CXMT could move about two years ahead of South Korean companies, contributing to a sharp fall in global memory-chip stocks.
Industry and securities analysts said it was too early to view the technology as a real threat, citing unproven mass-production reliability and limits on access to EUV equipment.
- Who
- Chinese memory maker CXMT announced the technology plan. Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix were cited as potential competitors.
- What
- CXMT said it would apply a 4F² cell structure to server DDR5 DRAM. Analysts said its mass-production prospects remained unproven.
- When
- CXMT said it would apply the technology within the year. The article was published on October 16, 2026.
- Where
- Not stated
- Why
- The 4F² structure can increase density by reducing cell area, but concerns about CXMT’s competitiveness were tempered by questions about mass-production reliability and access to EUV equipment.
Market concerns
Industry and securities analysts
Competitive threat
Market concerns
CXMT’s planned use of 4F² raised fears that it could gain a technology lead over South Korean companies.
Industry and securities analysts
It was too early to consider CXMT a real threat because mass-production reliability had not been verified.
Timing
Market concerns
CXMT could move about two years ahead of domestic companies.
Industry and securities analysts
Applying a technology or showing a prototype is different from achieving economical mass production.
CXMT said it would apply its 4F² cell structure to server DDR5 DRAM within the year.
Concerns about a possible technology lead contributed to a sharp fall in global memory-chip stocks.
- Company
- ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT)
- Cell structure
- 4F², compared with the widely used 6F² structure
- Cell area reduction
- 33%
- Planned product
- Server DDR5 DRAM
- Article publication
- October 16, 2026