Beijing – Chinese DRAM manufacturer CXMT said on Sunday that its fifth‑generation memory‑chip platform has moved into mass production, a step it calls a breakthrough for China’s semiconductor ambitions.
New platform promises higher density and efficiency
The new platform is designed to produce more powerful memory chips at lower cost and with less power consumption. By packing the tiny data‑storage structures more closely together, CXMT says each chip can hold more memory and more chips can be cut from a single silicon wafer.
According to CXMT, the spacing of key features in the data‑storage region has been reduced to 11.95 nanometres – roughly 12 billionths of a metre – using a technique called “quadruple patterning,” which repeats several manufacturing steps to create finer circuit patterns.
First products on the line
At the 2026 World Manufacturing Convention in Hefei, CXMT unveiled two 24‑gigabit LPDDR5X chips built on the new platform. LPDDR5X is a power‑saving type of DRAM used primarily in smartphones and other portable electronics. Each new chip holds about 50 % more data than CXMT’s previous equivalents and is already in mass production, offered in two package formats to suit different device designs.
The company estimates the platform can produce at least 50 % more gross chip dies per wafer than its fourth‑generation platform, based on an 8‑gigabit‑chip baseline. This figure reflects the potential number of chips that can be cut from a wafer before defective units are removed, not the final pass‑rate after testing.
Strategic significance
CXMT’s advance comes as Beijing continues to reduce reliance on foreign semiconductor technology. U.S. export controls introduced in 2022 have limited China’s access to certain advanced chip‑making equipment and software, prompting domestic firms to accelerate their own development.
“Our process capability is now on par with the most advanced mass‑produced nodes out there in the industry,” said Luo Xiaodong, CXMT’s vice president and head of its marketing centre, at the convention.
CXMT, which listed on Shanghai’s STAR Market earlier this year, said the new platform will give electronics makers an additional source of supply for memory chips used in smartphones and other devices, potentially easing global supply pressures.
Industry context
The move positions China’s DRAM industry to compete more directly with established leaders such as Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix and Micron Technology. While the global memory‑chip market remains dominated by these firms, CXMT’s progress reflects a broader trend of Chinese companies seeking greater self‑sufficiency in high‑tech sectors.
Analysts note that increased domestic production could influence pricing and availability of DRAM worldwide, though the full impact will depend on how quickly the new platform scales and how it performs against existing technologies.
For now, CXMT’s announcement marks a notable milestone in China’s push to build a more robust semiconductor ecosystem.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
