Samsung opens DRAM research centre in Silicon Valley
Samsung's US research division, DSA, has launched a new lab to develop next-generation three-dimensional (3D) DRAM memory.
The world’s leading memory chip maker ascended to its current position when it released commercial 3D vertical NAND flash in 2013. But the tech arms race never stands still. So now Samsung – and its new US R&D lab – is focusing on next-gen 3D DRAM tech. In October, it revealed it has been preparing new 3D structures for sub-10-nanometer DRAM, enabling larger single-chip capacities that can exceed 100 gigabits.
2023 was a difficult year for Samsung, and for the entire memory market. Soft demand for PCs, servers and smartphones caused oversupply and excess inventory across the market. As a result, prices fell and Samsung's operating profit for 3Q 2023 fall by more than 77% compared to the same period a year earlier.
However, the memory business is – like the chip business in general – reliably cyclical. Experts predict 2024 will be a strong year thanks to demand for AI servers and the newer market segments.
