Samsung Electronics announced that its second production line in Pyeongtaek, Korea, has commenced production of the industry’s first 16-gigabit (Gb) LPDDR5 mobile DRAM, using extreme ultraviolet (EUV) technology.

The new 16Gb LPDDR5 boasts the highest mobile memory performance and largest capacity to enable more consumers to enjoy the full benefits of 5G and AI features in next-generation smartphones.

“The 1z-based 16Gb LPDDR5 elevates the industry to a new threshold, overcoming a major developmental hurdle in DRAM scaling at advanced nodes,” said Jung-bae Lee, executive vice president of DRAM Product & Technology at Samsung Electronics.

Samsung’s Pyeongtaek Line 2 is the largest-scale semiconductor production line to date.

The new Pyeongtaek line will serve as the key manufacturing hub for the industry’s most advanced semiconductor technologies, delivering cutting-edge DRAM followed by next-generation V-NAND and foundry solutions.

Samsung’s new 16Gb LPDDR5 is the first memory to be mass produced using EUV technology, providing the highest speed and largest capacity available in mobile DRAM.

At 6,400 megabits per second (Mb/s), the new LPDDR5 is about 16 percent faster than the 12Gb LPDDR5 (5,500Mb/s) found in most of today’s flagship mobile devices. When made into a 16GB package, the LPDDR5 can transfer about 10 5GB-sized full-HD movies, or 51.2GB of data, in one second.

LPDDR5 package is 30 percent thinner than its predecessor, enabling 5G and multi-camera smartphones as well as foldable devices to pack more functionality into a slim design. The 16Gb LPDDR5 can build a 16GB package with only eight chips, whereas its 1y-based predecessor requires 12 chips (eight 12Gb chips and four 8Gb chips) to provide the same capacity.

Samsung plans to strengthen its presence in the flagship mobile device market throughout 2021 by delivering the first 1z-based 16GB LPDDR5 to global smartphone makers.

Samsung will also expand the use of its LPDDR5 offerings into automotive applications, offering an extended temperature range to meet strict safety and reliability standards in extreme environments.