China’s CXMT touts new chip manufacturing platform as close to ‘world’s most advanced’

Chinese memory chip company Changxin Memory Technologies (CXMT) has unveiled its cutting-edge fifth-generation technology platform, G5, at the World Manufacturing Convention in Hefei, China. CXMT claims that the G5 platform has brought it within striking distance of the world's most advanced memory chip manufacturing processes, closing the gap with dominant players like Samsung and SK Hynix.

The G5 platform delivers a significant boost in storage density, with CXMT reporting a minimum 50% increase in dies produced per wafer compared to its predecessor. This enhanced performance is achieved while maintaining superior energy efficiency and cost control. To reach the 11.95nm process technology, CXMT employed a novel "quadruple exposure" technique, positioning itself closely behind the global leaders.

To demonstrate the effectiveness of the G5 platform, CXMT showcased two mass-produced LPDDR5X products based on the new technology. These high-speed, low-power dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) chips, each with a capacity of 24 gigabits, represent a 50% improvement over the previous generation. The company highlights that these chips cater to the demands of mid-to-high-end smartphones and portable consumer electronics, and it intends to continually innovate to meet evolving global market demands.

CXMT's progress is particularly notable in the domestic smartphone market, where some of its high-end chips have already been integrated into flagship Chinese handsets. Notable customers include ZTE-backed Nubia, which launched the NaviX Ultra with CXMT's LPDDR5X DRAM chips, as well as Xiaomi and Transsion, known for producing budget smartphones in emerging markets. As of the second quarter, CXMT's share of global DRAM revenue stood at 9.5%, up from 7.6% in the previous quarter, according to TrendForce data.