# DRAM 4F² Race: Samsung, SK Lead as Micron Sticks to 6F² > Samsung and SK Hynix advance 4F² DRAM while Micron shifts to 6F² with wafer bonding and 3D stacking. - Title: DRAM 4F² Race: Samsung, SK Lead as Micron Sticks to 6F² - Summary: Samsung and SK Hynix advance 4F² DRAM while Micron shifts to 6F² with wafer bonding and 3D stacking. Samsung and SK Hynix target 4F² mass production by… - Keywords: samsung electronics, sk hynix, micron technology, changxin memory technologies, yangtze memory technologies, 4f² dram, wafer bonding, 3d dram, vertical channel transistors, vertical gate, finance, markets - Source: BigGo Finance — https://finance.biggo.com/news/768e3550-8ec3-417e-8319-d02ad91ac099 - Author: BigGo Finance - Published: 2026-10-22T01:05:23+00:00 - Read time: 1 min - Topics: samsung electronics, sk hynix, micron technology, changxin memory technologies, yangtze memory technologies, 4f² dram, wafer bonding, 3d dram, vertical channel transistors, vertical gate, finance, markets ## 4F² Technology Race Samsung, SK Hynix and ChangXin Memory Technologies accelerate 4F² commercialization while Micron abandons it for 6F² extensions. > Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix and China's ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) are racing to commercialize 4F², while Micron Technology has officially abandoned the structure over cost and process complexity and shifted toward extending its existing 6F² design ## Micron's 4F² Decision Micron formally abandoned 4F² on the 21st citing cost and process complexity, shifting to 6F² with wafer bonding and 3D stacking. > Micron made its decision not to adopt 4F² clear on the 21st (local time) at a technology webinar ## Samsung's 4F² Strategy Samsung pursues vertical channel transistors, IGZO materials and wafer bonding for 4F² commercialization by 2027-2028. > Samsung Electronics plans to advance vertical channel transistors while conducting research into new oxide semiconductor (IGZO) materials in parallel ## SK Hynix's 4F² Approach SK Hynix focuses on 4F² vertical gate platform with wafer bonding and long-term 3D DRAM for 2027-2028 production. > SK Hynix has put its "4F² VG (vertical gate) platform" front and center ## CXMT's 4F² Path CXMT uses 4F² vertical gate with 12-inch hybrid bonding to target 30-50% density increase and lower EUV reliance. > It has chosen a method that combines a vertical gate structure with 12-inch wafer-level hybrid bonding to manufacture the peripheral logic circuits and cell array separately ## CXMT's Timeline CXMT aims to qualify server DDR5 RDIMMs using 4F² by year-end, with LPDDR6 mobile products already introduced. > CXMT plans to select server DDR5 RDIMMs as its first 4F² product and begin customer qualification within the year ## Micron's 2027 Production Micron begins mass production of 1-delta DRAM in Boise, Idaho, in late 2027 with wafer bonding for 1-epsilon DRAM. > Micron will begin mass production of next-generation 1-delta (1δ) DRAM in Boise, Idaho, in the second half of 2027 ## NAND Market Shift YMTC overtakes Samsung in China's domestic NAND market with 38.7% share versus Samsung's 33.4% as of Q2 2024. > In the Chinese domestic market, YMTC led Samsung Electronics (33.4%) with 38.7% as of the second quarter ## Market Reaction Samsung and SK Hynix shares rose 6% in South Korean trading on the 21st following the announcements. > In South Korean stock trading on the 21st, when the related reports were published, shares of Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix rose about 6% ## 2027-2028 Outcome The 4F² race will determine DRAM cost competitiveness and density by 2027-2028, with yield and cost as key factors. > If the South Korean companies solve the capacitor spacing and leakage current problems and succeed in mass-producing 4F² around 2027-2028 ## Key takeaway Samsung and SK Hynix target 4F² mass production by 2027-2028, while Micron pivots to 6F² extensions and 3D stacking.