[News] Samsung Unveils Sub-10nm DRAM Breakthrough with InGaO, Reportedly Eyes 0a/0b Adoption

Having completed development of its 6th-generation 1c DRAM on a 10 nm-class process in July, Samsung Electronics is now moving forward with next-generation DRAM technology. According to The Elec, Samsung and the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT) unveiled a new method for implementing sub-10 nm DRAM, potentially applicable to 0a and 0b DRAM.

As Hankyung reported in late 2024, Samsung plans to unveil its 6th-generation 10 nm 1c DRAM for HBM4 in 2025, followed by 7th-generation 10 nm 1d DRAM in 2026, and aims to introduce its first sub-10 nm 0a DRAM by 2027.

An industry source cited by The Elec noted that while the technology remains in the research stage and won’t reach Samsung’s commercial DRAM for several years, it’s expected to target sub-10 nm nodes, such as 0a or 0b DRAM.

InGaO Plays a Key Role

The Elec notes that at the IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM) in San Francisco, Samsung unveiled a “high-thermal-stability amorphous oxide semiconductor transistor” designed for sub-10 nm cell-on-periphery (CoP) vertical-channel DRAM.

The report explains that the announced DRAM structure uses a CoP design, stacking memory cells vertically atop peripheral circuits. As The Elec notes, previously, the peripheral transistors under the memory cells were damaged by the 550°C heat generated during cell stacking, degrading performance. However, Samsung overcame this by employing amorphous indium-gallium-oxide (InGaO).

Samsung, according to The Elec, showcased at the event the first high-thermal-stability vertical-channel transistor (VCT) using amorphous InGaO, featuring a 100 nm channel length and capable of withstanding temperatures up to 550 °C. Samsung noted that this transistor can be integrated into a monolithic CoP DRAM architecture.

The report further explains that after heating the transistor to 550°C in a nitrogen environment—a standard reliability test—the device showed virtually no performance loss. The key indicator, called threshold voltage shift, stayed below 0.1 electron volts, meaning the transistor continued operating just like new. Similarly, the electrical current flowing through it remained strong, with no signs of damage, the report adds.

According to Samsung, via the report, the InGaO transistor’s heat resilience stems from its tightly bound atomic structure, which keeps ions from drifting and ensures stable performance.

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(Photo credit: Samsung)