For decades, logic semiconductors have faced a paradox: performance improvements have been limited by the inability to reduce the gate thickness of transistors without compromising reliability. At the same time, premium products are becoming more demanding in terms of performance than ever before in order to remain competitive.
A number of disruptive technological innovations have been developed to address these limitations including High-k/Metal Gate (HKMG), which replaces the SiON gate oxide material in the gate of the transistor in DRAM memory with a thin high-k film.
Today, HKMG remains the most significant innovation in logic transistor technology, allowing further scaling to be achieved without degrading reliability or causing current leakage.
SK hynix has dramatically improved transistor performance, including the use of HKMG in its new 1anm LPDDR5X DRAM. This enables aggressive scaling and high efficiency even at low power settings.
In this EE Times column, head of Process Integration Technology Development at SK hynix, Unoh Kwon, discusses what HKMG is and how the company is strengthening its technological competitiveness by applying a HKMG technology platform to other premium products.
As evidenced by the application of the HKMG process to DRAM, we can see that the convergence between logic semiconductors’ advanced technology solutions and DRAM process technology in the semiconductor manufacturing process is well underway, and SK hynix is leading the charge in providing related leading solutions in this field.
To find out more, read Unoh Kwon’s article in full here: SK hynix Leading the Way in the HKMG Revolution
