With the commercialization of 5G and groundbreaking technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT), being applied to various electronics, our daily lives are changing for the better at an unprecedented rate. Things we expected to see in the distant future are being realized ahead of schedule, one by one. The semiconductor lies at the center of these technological advancements. Among the numerous types of semiconductors, SK hynix has focused on memory semiconductors—DRAM and NAND. provided an opportunity to take a look at the infinite potentials of memory semiconductors. SK hynix chose the Semiconductor Exhibition (SEDEX), which was held from October 8th to 11th at COEX, Seoul, Korea, to provide an opportunity to take a look at the infinite potentials of memory semiconductors and to unveil its core technologies of memory semiconductors to open the door to future technologies. SK hynix’s Newsroom team visited the SK hynix booth at SEDEX 2019 to learn more about this new future.
The Era of Memory has Arrived with “Memory-centric Computing”
Visitors to the SK hynix booth were met by a miniature city model explaining the evolution of the computing system. SK hynix’s message that “data-centric era is essentially the memory-centric era” could be seen throughout the booth, which was arranged in a way that allowed visitors to feel and experience the memory semiconductor’s rapidly evolving role in the computing system.
Most people are aware that we are living in an “era of data.” However, many people would doubt this proposition that this era is an “era of memory.” As the amount of worldwide data generation explodes with the advanced technologies of the 4thth Industrial Revolution—AI, Augmented Reality (AR) / Virtual Reality (VR), autonomous driving system, IoT and Big Data—a more efficient way of processing this new, unbelievably large amount of data is needed, meaning the development of highly effective memory semiconductor technology has become essential.
The future lies in memory technology, and recent changes to the computing system give no reason to believe otherwise. Since PCs came about, the computing system has focused on processors for the most part. However, AI applications and big data analytics based on emerging machine learning technologies are accelerating automation and optimization in every industry and shifting attention from processors to memory. This means data processing is now even more important than arithmetic processing, for more efficient big data analytics.
When designing a memory-focused computing structure, it is inevitable that substantially larger memory capacity than now will be necessary. This upcoming “era of memory” will give SK hynix the opportunity to break new ground in the sector with its world-class memory semiconductor technologies, promising a bright future for the company.
A Semiconductor Cube to Highlight SK hynix’s Cutting-edge Technology
SK hynix’s technological prowess could be found in an impressive cube-like structure located in the center of its SEDEX 2019 booth, each product inside showcasing how the company will lead this new “era of memory.” The first noteworthy technology is 128-layer 1Tb 4D NAND Flash, recently developed by SK Hynix hynix for the first time in history.
With Charge Trap Flash (CTF) and Peri Under Cell (PUC) technologies, this new NAND Flash chip allows far more data to be saved with much greater efficiency than previous products; a single memory chip is capable of storing 34 Full HD movies. SK hynix plans to apply this product mainly to storage memory solutions that require ultra-high capacities.
What’s more, visitors were able to take a closer look at the High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) 2, which boasts a high level of utilization in the memory centric computing era. HBM2 is a high-performing,
high-bandwidth DRAM with the ultra-high speed needed for systems of the 4thth industry, such as super computers and AI solutions. When HBM2 is applied to a graphics card, high-resolution graphic data can be processed rapidly to allow complex game graphics to run without delay. Visitors to the booth were able to compare the superior quality delivered by a graphics card that utilizes HBM2 with the quality of a regular graphics cards.
Furthermore, in August 2019, SK hynix succeeded in developing HBM2E, which boasts 50% faster processing rate compared to the HBM2. Since developing the world’s first HBM in 2013, SK hynix has been leading the premium memory market with its superior technological competitiveness.
The History of Semiconductors and Numerous Interactive Activities in one place
At this year’s SEDEX, SK hynix showcased the history of semiconductor technology. Visitors could experience and compare the evolutionary stages in terms of their performance, such as speed and power consumption, from DDR1 released in 2001 to what we have now with DDR5, an ultra-high speed, low-power, high-density memory chip optimized for next-gen systems such as Big Data, AI and machine learning. SK hynix even set up a captivating VR experience space that allowed visitors to vividly experience the more than 20-times-faster data transfer rate of its DDR5 compared to DDR1.
To guarantee a memorable visit, SK hynix hosted a wide range of activities for guests to choose from, including spaces to watch SK hynix YouTube videos, semiconductor quizzes and test-your-memory games, a VR racing game, and many more. After making the most of everything the booth had to offer, visitors were able to try their luck in a prize draw to ensure a pleasant drive home.
“We hope that visitors can experience the semiconductor technology which makes the semiconductor even smaller, faster, and better, at the booth of SK hynix, the center of the memory era,” said one SK hynix representative. “We’d like you to look forward to the future that SK hynix’s memory semiconductors will shape.”
