{"schema_version":"2026-09-05.topic-graph-v1","canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory","topic":{"slug":"memory","name":"Memory: How DRAM Works, Who Makes It, and Why It Costs What It Does","description":"A sourced reference collection on DRAM — how the cell actually works and is built, how three companies came to make almost all of it, why the industry moves in cycles, and why AI repriced the memory in every device you own.","coverage_notes":"Third packet through the generic ingestion pipeline, substantially expanded in Sprint 4C from a two-year news window into the subject itself. Twenty-five sources were retrieved and read; another thirty-eight are disclosed as non-evidentiary references, split into three tried-and-blocked items and thirty-five surfaced-and-set-aside items. The EUV-in-DRAM conference presentation that earlier revisions named as an unparseable gap has since been read in full, by decompressing the PDF's own content streams when no text extractor was available, and it now supplies the layer-by-layer account of where EUV is actually used in a DRAM. Of the sources still unread, only three were ever refused: Gartner sits behind a human-verification challenge that this project will not attempt to defeat, one Tom's Hardware article is paywalled, and a DatacenterDynamics piece has since been withdrawn and now returns 404. The remaining thirty-five were never fetched at all — they were surfaced and judged redundant, paywalled, or unreconcilable, and each says which. SEC EDGAR and Applied Materials both refused the automated fetcher but were later read through ordinary browser access to their public pages; the Micron filing closes the collection's former financial-attribution gap, and the Applied Materials account closes its former process-materials gap. The remaining named manufacturing gaps are imec's peripheral-transistor platform, an open-access HfO₂ ALD trench-capacitor paper that was only surfaced in search, and an EUV-in-DRAM conference presentation that was retrieved but initially unparseable, and has since been read in full. Two sources disagree by a year on when Dennard conceived the DRAM cell, and that disagreement is published rather than resolved. Market-structure history rests on an independent analyst newsletter, which is not a primary record of market share and is labelled as such. Geographically this collection reaches the United States, Japan, South Korea, Germany and China across sixty years. Every price figure is a forecast issued on a stated date by a named forecaster, never a measured outcome. Not yet editor-reviewed; every assertion reads as reported.","primer":"Almost every computer built since 1970 stores its working memory the same way: one bit as a smear of electric charge on a tiny capacitor, with one transistor deciding when that charge can be touched. Robert Dennard worked it out at IBM in 1966. The patent was granted in 1968. Everything below — the prices, the shortages, the fact that three companies make nearly all of it — comes out of that one structural choice.\n\nThe choice was economy. A DRAM bit needs one transistor and one capacitor where the faster SRAM alternative needs four or six, so DRAM could be made dense and made cheap. The cost is that charge leaks. Every row has to be read and rewritten within about 64 milliseconds or the data is simply gone, which on a device with 8,192 rows means refreshing one row roughly every 7.8 microseconds, forever, whether or not anyone is using it. That is what the word dynamic in the name is doing.\n\nMaking one is largely a problem of building a capacitor that holds enough charge in almost no area. Manufacturers build it vertically — etched down into the silicon, or stacked upward over the transistor — with depth-to-width ratios that had already passed 50:1 by the mid-2000s. Shrinking the cell shrinks the capacitor, and by the 1z and 1-alpha generations capacitance had fallen under 10 femtofarads per cell against a floor of about 6 or 7 that manufacturers try to hold. That wall is why progress has slowed: node transitions now buy only 10 to 15% more density each, against the 40% Micron reported moving to 1-alpha in 2021.\n\nWho makes it has changed twice, and both times a downturn did the choosing. Japanese firms held around 80% of the market in the 1980s on yields reported 20 to 30% better than American rivals; currency moves and trade agreements helped push the United States out of commodity memory, and Intel went to microprocessors instead. South Korea entered in 1983, reached the top of the market by 1992, and has not been displaced. The 1997 Asian crisis produced SK hynix; Japan answered with Elpida in 1999; the 2008 crisis took Qimonda; and Micron’s purchase of Elpida in 2013 closed the process. Three companies now hold about 95% of DRAM revenue.\n\nThat concentration is why this market moves in cycles rather than curves. A fab is committed years before it ships anything, so supply always arrives on a decision made in a different world — downturns in 2011, 2019 and 2022. What changed recently is discipline: the three survivors now cut production in a downcycle instead of expanding into it.\n\nWhich brings the story to now. High Bandwidth Memory, the stacked DRAM that feeds an AI accelerator, is made on the same wafers in the same fabs as the memory in a laptop, but consumes far more wafer area per usable bit and sells for five to ten times as much per bit. TrendForce projects HBM taking about 18%, 22% and 30% of DRAM wafer input at the ends of 2025, 2026 and 2027 while returning only about 8%, 9% and 13% of the bits. The gap between those two series is conventional memory that never gets made — and with no fourth supplier of consequence, it reprices memory for everyone.\n\nWhat is genuinely contested, and what is missing, is set out beside each claim rather than hidden: the retrieved sources describe contract-price forecasts rather than settled transaction prices; IBM and IEEE Spectrum disagree by a year on when Dennard had the idea; and Micron's figures now come from its SEC-filed results, while the remaining manufacturing gaps include imec's peripheral-transistor platform, an open-access HfO₂ trench-capacitor paper that was only surfaced in search, and an EUV-in-DRAM conference presentation that has since been read in full, closing that gap.","primer_note":"Manufacturing.ai's own editorial synthesis, not evidence. Every factual statement in it is separately asserted and sourced in this response's concepts and events.","reviewed_through_date":null,"source_count":25,"inspected_source_count":25,"consulted_reference_count":38,"blocked_reference_count":3,"set_aside_reference_count":35},"figures":[{"kind":"share-comparison","title":"The crowding-out, measured","caption":"HBM takes a rising share of the wafers while returning a much smaller share of the bits. The distance between the two bars is conventional memory that never gets made.","sourceNote":"TrendForce, 2 June 2026. Both series are projections for the end of each year, not measured outcomes — the end-2026 and end-2027 points had not happened when they were published.","points":["End 2025","End 2026","End 2027"],"seriesA":{"label":"Share of DRAM wafer input","values":[18,22,30]},"seriesB":{"label":"Share of DRAM bit supply","values":[8,9,13]},"gapLabel":"The gap widens from 10 to 17 percentage points — that widening is the squeeze."},{"kind":"time-series","title":"What the AI cycle did to one manufacturer","caption":"Micron's quarterly revenue, from its own filings. The final column is company guidance, not a result.","sourceNote":"Micron Form 8-K Exhibit 99.1 filed with the SEC, 24 June 2026, for the quarter ended 28 May 2026. The first three columns are reported figures; FQ4-26 is Micron's own guidance of $50.0bn ± $1.0bn and had not happened when published.","unit":"Revenue, billions of US dollars","points":[{"label":"FQ3-25","value":9.301,"display":"$9.3bn"},{"label":"FQ2-26","value":23.86,"display":"$23.9bn"},{"label":"FQ3-26","value":41.456,"display":"$41.5bn"},{"label":"FQ4-26 guide","value":50,"display":"$50.0bn"}]},{"kind":"composition","title":"Who actually buys the memory","caption":"Micron's revenue by business unit for the quarter ended 28 May 2026. Data centre in its two forms is roughly 61% of the total; everything a consumer holds is about 28%.","sourceNote":"Micron Form 8-K Exhibit 99.1 filed with the SEC, 24 June 2026. Micron's own segment definitions, reported figures, one company of three — not an industry-wide breakdown.","totalDisplay":"$41.4bn","parts":[{"label":"Cloud Memory","value":13.769,"display":"$13.8bn"},{"label":"Core Data Center","value":11.524,"display":"$11.5bn"},{"label":"Mobile and Client","value":11.521,"display":"$11.5bn"},{"label":"Automotive and Embedded","value":4.634,"display":"$4.6bn"}]},{"kind":"composition","title":"Three companies, and the order changed","caption":"DRAM revenue share in the third quarter of 2025. SK hynix had passed Samsung, which had held 42.9% only five quarters earlier.","sourceNote":"TrendForce, 26 November 2025, for the completed third quarter of 2025 — measured revenue rather than a forecast, but one research firm's estimate of industry totals, not audited figures.","totalDisplay":"$41.4bn industry revenue","parts":[{"label":"SK hynix","value":33.2,"display":"33.2%"},{"label":"Samsung","value":32.6,"display":"32.6%"},{"label":"Micron","value":25.7,"display":"25.7%"},{"label":"Nanya, Winbond, PSMC and others","value":8.5,"display":"rest"}]}],"blocked_references":[{"title":"CXMT close to matching Micron's memory capacity in 2026, research claims","publisher":"Tom's Hardware","url":"https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/dram/cxmt-close-to-matching-microns-memory-capacity-in-2026-research-claims-would-put-china-on-track-to-become-worlds-second-largest-dram-producer","source_type":"journalism","retrieval_status":"blocked_402","content_inspected":false,"published_at":null},{"title":"Gartner Says Surging Memory Costs Will Reduce Global PC and Smartphone Shipments in 2026","publisher":"Gartner","url":"https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2026-02-26-gartner-says-surging-memory-costs-will-reduce-global-pc-and-smartphone-shipments-in-2026","source_type":"press_release","retrieval_status":"blocked_403","content_inspected":false,"published_at":null},{"title":"Samsung and SK Hynix to scale up memory production capacity in 2026 to meet AI demand","publisher":"DatacenterDynamics","url":"https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/samsung-and-sk-hynix-to-scale-up-memory-production-capacity-in-2026-to-meet-ai-demand/","source_type":"journalism","retrieval_status":"blocked_404","content_inspected":false,"published_at":null}],"set_aside_references":[{"title":"1970 1-Kbit DRAM (Intel, U.S.A.)","publisher":"Semiconductor History Museum of Japan","url":"https://www.shmj.or.jp/english/pdf/ic/exhibi738E.pdf","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false},{"title":"2026 Memory Chip Shortage: SK Hynix Warns It May Last Past 2030","publisher":"Tech-Insider","url":"https://tech-insider.org/memory-chip-shortage-2026-ai-consumer-electronics/","source_type":"journalism","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false},{"title":"Back to the Future: The 1103 Commercial DRAM has Landed","publisher":"Rochester Electronics","url":"https://www.rocelec.com/news/back-to-the-future-the-1103-commercial","source_type":"company_website","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false},{"title":"China's CXMT Is Set to Challenge DRAM Incumbents","publisher":"SemiAnalysis","url":"https://newsletter.semianalysis.com/p/chinas-cxmt-is-set-to-challenge-dram","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false},{"title":"Chinese CXMT Shows Homegrown DDR5-8000 and LPDDR5X-10667 Memory","publisher":"TechPowerUp","url":"https://www.techpowerup.com/343185/chinese-cxmt-shows-homegrown-ddr5-8000-and-lpddr5x-10667-memory","source_type":"journalism","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false},{"title":"DDR Memory Technology Explained","publisher":"Centon Electronics","url":"https://www.centon.com/pages/ddr-memory","source_type":"company_website","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false},{"title":"DDR4 SDRAM","publisher":"Wikipedia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DDR4_SDRAM","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false},{"title":"DDR6 SDRAM","publisher":"Wikipedia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DDR6_SDRAM","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false},{"title":"Deposition of HfO2 by Remote Plasma ALD for High-Aspect-Ratio Trench Capacitors in DRAM","publisher":"PMC (peer-reviewed)","url":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12156898/","source_type":"academic","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false},{"title":"DRAM Market Monitor","publisher":"Yole Group","url":"https://www.yolegroup.com/product/monitor/dram-market-monitor/","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false},{"title":"DRAM Market Outlook, Trends, and Growth Insights","publisher":"SkyQuest","url":"https://www.skyquestt.com/report/dram-market","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false},{"title":"DRAM Market Research Report","publisher":"Dataintelo","url":"https://dataintelo.com/report/dram-market","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false},{"title":"DRAM market revenue worldwide by quarter","publisher":"Statista","url":"https://www.statista.com/statistics/271728/global-dram-revenue-since-2nd-quarter-2010/","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false},{"title":"DRAM Market Size, Share, Trends","publisher":"Market.us","url":"https://market.us/report/dynamic-random-access-memory/","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false},{"title":"DRAM Market Size, Share, Trends, Growth Forecast","publisher":"Fortune Business Insights","url":"https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/dram-market-109251","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false},{"title":"DRAM Market: Global Industry Analysis and Forecast","publisher":"Maximize Market Research","url":"https://www.maximizemarketresearch.com/market-report/global-dram-market/53352/","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false},{"title":"Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) Explained — All About Semiconductor","publisher":"Samsung Semiconductor (YouTube)","url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pdwsakYhMk","source_type":"company_website","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false},{"title":"Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) Market Share Report","publisher":"BCC Research","url":"https://www.bccresearch.com/market-research/semiconductor-manufacturing/dynamic-random-access-memory-dram-global-markets.html","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false},{"title":"EUV lithography systems","publisher":"ASML","url":"https://www.asml.com/en/products/euv-lithography-systems","source_type":"company_website","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false},{"title":"Global DRAM and HBM Market Share: Quarterly","publisher":"Counterpoint Research","url":"https://counterpointresearch.com/en/insights/global-dram-and-hbm-market-share","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false},{"title":"Global Memory Shortage Crisis: Impact on Smartphone and PC Markets in 2026","publisher":"IDC","url":"https://www.idc.com/resource-center/blog/global-memory-shortage-crisis-market-analysis-and-the-potential-impact-on-the-smartphone-and-pc-markets-in-2026/","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false},{"title":"Higher ASPs, lower unit volumes: how the memory crisis is reshaping the PC and smartphone outlook","publisher":"IDC","url":"https://www.idc.com/resource-center/blog/higher-asps-lower-unit-volumes-how-the-memory-crisis-is-reshaping-the-pc-and-smartphone-outlook/","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false},{"title":"How Japan Lost Semiconductor Leadership to Taiwan","publisher":"k4i","url":"https://k4i.com/how-japan-lost-semiconductor-leadership-to-taiwan/","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false},{"title":"How South Korea Overtook Japan in the Memory Chip Business","publisher":"Behind Asia","url":"https://behindasia.co/how-south-korea-overtook-japan-in-the-memory-chip-business/","source_type":"journalism","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false},{"title":"Memory Chip Shortage Drives Smartphone and PC Component Costs Higher","publisher":"Astute Group","url":"https://www.astutegroup.com/news/memory-shortages/memory-chip-shortage-drives-smartphone-and-pc-component-costs-higher/","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false},{"title":"Memory lane","publisher":"Nature Electronics","url":"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41928-018-0098-9","source_type":"academic","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false},{"title":"Robert H. Dennard of IBM Invents DRAM","publisher":"HistoryOfInformation.com","url":"https://www.historyofinformation.com/detail.php?id=840","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false},{"title":"Robert H. Dennard, National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductee","publisher":"National Inventors Hall of Fame","url":"https://www.invent.org/inductees/robert-h-dennard","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false},{"title":"Server memory prices could double by 2026 as AI demand strains supply","publisher":"Network World","url":"https://www.networkworld.com/article/4093752/server-memory-prices-could-double-by-2026-as-ai-demand-strains-supply.html","source_type":"journalism","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false},{"title":"Smartphone And PC Prices Set To Surge As Memory Shortage Bites","publisher":"Forbes","url":"https://www.forbes.com/sites/barrycollins/2025/12/19/smartphone-and-pc-prices-set-to-surge-as-memory-shortage-bites/","source_type":"journalism","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false},{"title":"Smartphone Memory Market Share Q1 2024","publisher":"TechInsights","url":"https://www.techinsights.com/blog/smartphone-memory-market-share-q1-2024-revenue-grows-over-50-yoy-sk-hynix-gains-share","source_type":"journalism","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false},{"title":"Technology platform for thermally stable DRAM peripheral transistors","publisher":"imec","url":"https://www.imec-int.com/en/articles/technology-platform-thermally-stable-dram-peripheral-transistors","source_type":"academic","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false},{"title":"The 1980s: global expansion and the rise of strategic pricing","publisher":"Simon-Kucher","url":"https://www.simon-kucher.com/en/insights/1980s-global-expansion-and-rise-strategic-pricing","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false},{"title":"The Evolution of DDR SDRAM","publisher":"Integral Memory","url":"https://www.integralmemory.com/articles/the-evolution-of-ddr-sdram/","source_type":"company_website","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false},{"title":"Top 20 Companies, Global DRAM Market 2026-2035","publisher":"Spherical Insights","url":"https://www.sphericalinsights.com/blogs/top-20-companies-global-dynamic-random-access-memory-dram-market-in-2026-2035-spherical-insights-analysis","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"search_result_only","content_inspected":false}],"concepts":[{"slug":"ddr-generations","name":"DDR Generations","category":"memory_technology","canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory#ddr-generations","assertions":[{"id":"5da2178a-b9eb-4e2f-8eb1-ea4522d72858","predicate":"concept.description","statement":"DDR5 was published by JEDEC on 14 July 2020, splitting each DIMM into two independent 32-bit subchannels, moving voltage regulation onto the module via a PMIC, and making on-die ECC standard on every chip; SK hynix launched the first production DDR5 chip on 6 October 2020.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"0773c7b7-2f72-411a-966c-c40871c8933c","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"DDR5 SDRAM","publisher":"Wikipedia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DDR5_SDRAM","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":null,"documents":[]}},{"id":"e66b383c-e980-4ef7-9494-d172f15e6997","stance":"qualifies","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"DDR5 SDRAM","publisher":"Wikipedia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DDR5_SDRAM","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":null,"documents":[]}}]},{"id":"d55774fc-eed9-43d9-a41d-3704d474e0c8","predicate":"concept.description","statement":"DDR generations re-standardise the interface, not the cell: DDR (1998, 200-400 MT/s, 2.5V), DDR2 (2003, 1.8V), DDR3 (2007, 1.5V), DDR4 (2014, 1.2V), DDR5 (2020, 3200-7200 MT/s, 1.1V), with prefetch doubling 2n to 16n each generation. None is compatible with another.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"0142035a-8a18-4ab6-8907-3f66f85d861b","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"DDR SDRAM","publisher":"Wikipedia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DDR_SDRAM","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":null,"documents":[]}},{"id":"c1f4c7e8-dae0-4cf4-a88e-870205405601","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Dynamic random-access memory (DRAM)","publisher":"IBM","url":"https://www.ibm.com/history/dram","source_type":"company_website","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":null,"documents":[]}},{"id":"4bb3944a-0405-440d-b42a-e1981e6f3918","stance":"qualifies","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"DDR5 SDRAM","publisher":"Wikipedia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DDR5_SDRAM","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":null,"documents":[]}}]}]},{"slug":"dram","name":"DRAM (Dynamic Random-Access Memory)","category":"memory_technology","canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory#dram","assertions":[{"id":"9a1c6a0b-fb62-4376-9fe7-9ceedaaec58f","predicate":"concept.description","statement":"DRAM production is highly concentrated: as of Q2 2025 Samsung, SK hynix and Micron together held 93.4% of the global DRAM market, with all other suppliers including CXMT accounting for 4.9%.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"9b4767c5-f424-4a7d-958e-25186c730bcd","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"China's CXMT Takes Aim at Global Leaders With High-End DDR5 Memory Chips","publisher":"Caixin Global","url":"https://www.caixinglobal.com/2025-11-26/chinas-cxmt-takes-aim-at-global-leaders-with-high-end-ddr5-memory-chips-102386784.html","source_type":"journalism","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2025-11-26","documents":[]}}]},{"id":"df8de74c-2add-4129-b0ec-cc26422f79cf","predicate":"concept.description","statement":"J.P. Morgan estimated in August 2026 that DRAM prices would rise more than 400% from the start of 2024 to the end of 2026, alongside measured US index moves of +23% (CPI software and accessories, PPI storage devices) and +37% (import price index for computers and parts) since end-2024.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"e31cb0fd-34f7-4515-aaed-ddfe4f215c99","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"The AI-Driven Memory Shortage: DRAM Prices, Inflation and Market Risks","publisher":"J.P. Morgan","url":"https://www.jpmorgan.com/insights/global-research/artificial-intelligence/dram-memory-shortage-from-ai","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2026-08-06","documents":[]}},{"id":"c29468fb-c306-4b9c-87cb-d744c0cd0dba","stance":"qualifies","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"The AI-Driven Memory Shortage: DRAM Prices, Inflation and Market Risks","publisher":"J.P. Morgan","url":"https://www.jpmorgan.com/insights/global-research/artificial-intelligence/dram-memory-shortage-from-ai","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2026-08-06","documents":[]}}]},{"id":"eee3321c-2d81-4d03-bc19-21d80b62b983","predicate":"concept.description","statement":"TrendForce forecast conventional DRAM contract prices to rise 58-63% quarter-on-quarter in 2Q26 (published 31 March 2026) but only 13-18% in 3Q26 (published 3 July 2026), citing a higher base and weakening consumer demand — both projections, not measured outcomes.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"0c121c77-dea2-4830-bafa-76a8022b0e2e","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"AI Server Demand Continues to Support Memory Prices in 3Q26, but Gains Moderate as Consumer Demand Weakens and High Base Effects Take Hold","publisher":"TrendForce","url":"https://www.trendforce.com/presscenter/news/20260703-13134.html","source_type":"journalism","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2026-07-03","documents":[]}},{"id":"f9161422-7d07-461c-b7bf-5eaee3956b8a","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"AI Server Demand to Drive Memory Contract Price Increases in 2Q26 as CSPs Secure Supply via Long-Term Agreements","publisher":"TrendForce","url":"https://www.trendforce.com/presscenter/news/20260331-12995.html","source_type":"journalism","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2026-03-31","documents":[]}},{"id":"853d6d83-2634-48cb-9c32-99bea028f648","stance":"qualifies","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"AI Server Demand to Drive Memory Contract Price Increases in 2Q26 as CSPs Secure Supply via Long-Term Agreements","publisher":"TrendForce","url":"https://www.trendforce.com/presscenter/news/20260331-12995.html","source_type":"journalism","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2026-03-31","documents":[]}}]}]},{"slug":"dram-cell","name":"DRAM Cell (1T1C)","category":"component","canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory#dram-cell","assertions":[{"id":"050032a5-bfd4-4f4e-a8de-12c76b5496f5","predicate":"concept.description","statement":"DRAM capacitors leak, so each row must be refreshed within 64 milliseconds — about one row every 7.8 microseconds on an 8,192-row device. That requirement is what 'dynamic' names, and it costs power and bandwidth permanently.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"839ea7dc-1f0d-4578-8a63-dabb8613653e","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Dynamic random-access memory","publisher":"Wikipedia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_random-access_memory","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":null,"documents":[]}},{"id":"74af42de-3487-4cf8-88d5-3b3ece737f54","stance":"qualifies","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Dynamic random-access memory","publisher":"Wikipedia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_random-access_memory","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":null,"documents":[]}}]},{"id":"b3d9e249-ca86-4870-af1a-d35c77c913d3","predicate":"concept.description","statement":"A DRAM cell is one capacitor holding a bit as charge plus one access transistor, against four to six transistors per bit in SRAM — the structural choice that made DRAM cheap and dense, and from which its refresh requirement follows.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"4ad813df-722c-4ea5-98dd-ae957f826b45","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Dynamic random-access memory","publisher":"Wikipedia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_random-access_memory","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":null,"documents":[]}},{"id":"93b05d17-938e-47aa-904f-b04b65e2ab66","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":true,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Dynamic random-access memory (DRAM)","publisher":"IBM","url":"https://www.ibm.com/history/dram","source_type":"company_website","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":null,"documents":[]}}]}]},{"slug":"dram-equipment-supply-chain","name":"DRAM Equipment and Materials Supply Chain","category":"other","canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory#dram-equipment-supply-chain","assertions":[{"id":"541ea896-a647-4ced-b153-1e02858e88f1","predicate":"concept.description","statement":"A 2021 Micron and imec presentation places EUV in DRAM at metal routing and dense pillars and contacts — the storage node landing pad and bit line pad — with Samsung shipping bit line pad patterning at D1x and D1z, one EUV level replacing five immersion masks, and productivity and defects named as the biggest obstacles.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"de554b02-7eb7-4f9c-8a6c-726afa7f3736","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"EUV Ecosystem Expansion into DRAM Manufacturing","publisher":"2021 EUV Lithography Workshop","url":"https://www.euvlitho.com/2021/P2.pdf","source_type":"academic","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2021-01-01","documents":[{"url":"https://www.euvlitho.com/2021/P2.pdf","label":"Open cited document","format":"PDF","relationship":"cited_document","access":"not_rechecked","link_checked_at":null,"locator":null,"edition":null,"snapshot_sha256":"a8236262cb2488066827db0e47ec0f108f5312349f582ddcc62d2ea167f77a5e","note":"Identified as a PDF in an earlier retrieval. Current availability has not been rechecked; the publisher may replace the file."}]}}]},{"id":"65a234dc-ab45-40d5-990c-5cf0f0c1eb99","predicate":"concept.description","statement":"A single DRAM process step can rest on three companies most readers cannot name: for EUV dry resist, Lam Research supplies equipment, Entegris the precursor chemicals and materials with dual-sourced capacity, and Gelest the specialty precursors — a vapour-deposited resist Lam states uses five to ten times less raw material than spin-on.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"0cdee762-f129-41b0-a21a-9b1348611aa8","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":true,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Lam Research, Entegris, Gelest Team Up to Advance EUV Dry Resist Technology Ecosystem","publisher":"Lam Research","url":"https://newsroom.lamresearch.com/2022-07-12-Lam-Research,-Entegris,-Gelest-Team-Up-to-Advance-EUV-Dry-Resist-Technology-Ecosystem","source_type":"press_release","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2022-07-12","documents":[]}},{"id":"096a9337-74f7-4b55-a1c7-1d0abc850d49","stance":"qualifies","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Lam Research, Entegris, Gelest Team Up to Advance EUV Dry Resist Technology Ecosystem","publisher":"Lam Research","url":"https://newsroom.lamresearch.com/2022-07-12-Lam-Research,-Entegris,-Gelest-Team-Up-to-Advance-EUV-Dry-Resist-Technology-Ecosystem","source_type":"press_release","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2022-07-12","documents":[]}}]}]},{"slug":"dram-market-segments","name":"DRAM Market Segments","category":"other","canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory#dram-market-segments","assertions":[{"id":"e59eec0c-0b6a-4fdf-9cc9-c3a0fc46db32","predicate":"concept.description","statement":"The same fabs serve unequal buyers: capacity moved to servers with cloud providers prioritised for high-capacity RDIMMs, while memory is 15-20% of a mid-range phone's bill of materials against 10-15% of a flagship's — and HBM sits above both at five to ten times DDR5's per-bit price.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"75e0a013-3f1d-4f18-a416-a0d8f5d6c677","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Budget smartphones will be hit hardest as memory prices rise","publisher":"The Register","url":"https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/15/memory_crisis_smartphones/","source_type":"journalism","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2026-01-15","documents":[]}},{"id":"6e0b0323-6aab-4577-ad0f-3079e3469dec","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Deep Dive on Memory (Primer)","publisher":"Nomad Semi (Moore Morris)","url":"https://www.nomadsemi.com/p/deep-dive-on-memory-primer","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2025-09-30","documents":[]}},{"id":"8d253d7a-1be1-44e1-a70a-4ac1d62f7fce","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"AI Server Demand to Drive Memory Contract Price Increases in 2Q26 as CSPs Secure Supply via Long-Term Agreements","publisher":"TrendForce","url":"https://www.trendforce.com/presscenter/news/20260331-12995.html","source_type":"journalism","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2026-03-31","documents":[]}},{"id":"367e99d0-c6af-4ddc-b22f-94e312487252","stance":"qualifies","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"AI Server Demand to Drive Memory Contract Price Increases in 2Q26 as CSPs Secure Supply via Long-Term Agreements","publisher":"TrendForce","url":"https://www.trendforce.com/presscenter/news/20260331-12995.html","source_type":"journalism","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2026-03-31","documents":[]}}]}]},{"slug":"dram-market-structure","name":"DRAM Market Structure","category":"other","canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory#dram-market-structure","assertions":[{"id":"29eaf721-f799-42e9-875b-d055293ad59c","predicate":"concept.description","statement":"Samsung Semiconductor was founded in 1978, Korea developed 64-kilobit DRAM by the end of 1983 as the third country to do so, reached the top of the DRAM market by 1992, and held 70.5% of it in 2022 — with SK hynix at 36% passing Samsung's 34% in Q1 2025.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"58c75905-514e-4c08-b8d8-e6e4aa0c1eb2","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Semiconductor industry in South Korea","publisher":"Wikipedia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semiconductor_industry_in_South_Korea","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":null,"documents":[]}},{"id":"ded5e647-7550-494a-88cb-8d27551bfa69","stance":"qualifies","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Semiconductor industry in South Korea","publisher":"Wikipedia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semiconductor_industry_in_South_Korea","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":null,"documents":[]}}]},{"id":"d8c3f322-78ce-4af3-b791-39bb5a560d4c","predicate":"concept.description","statement":"The three-supplier DRAM market is the residue of consolidation forced by successive downturns: Japan at ~80% share in the 1980s, the 1985 Plaza Accord and US exit, the 1997 Asian crisis creating SK hynix and Elpida, Qimonda's insolvency in the Great Financial Crisis, and the 2012-2013 acquisitions of Hynix and Elpida.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"5c795ca5-36da-4162-b3ad-9b7f7c926ed1","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Semiconductor industry in Japan","publisher":"Wikipedia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semiconductor_industry_in_Japan","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":null,"documents":[]}},{"id":"4b1a6f46-4b99-4132-a3f4-7498a2273b9a","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Deep Dive on Memory (Primer)","publisher":"Nomad Semi (Moore Morris)","url":"https://www.nomadsemi.com/p/deep-dive-on-memory-primer","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2025-09-30","documents":[]}},{"id":"53be5a8a-ef01-4c03-98eb-bd6f79d3c987","stance":"qualifies","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Deep Dive on Memory (Primer)","publisher":"Nomad Semi (Moore Morris)","url":"https://www.nomadsemi.com/p/deep-dive-on-memory-primer","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2025-09-30","documents":[]}}]}]},{"slug":"dram-process-node","name":"DRAM Process Node","category":"process","canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory#dram-process-node","assertions":[{"id":"d9343e0a-7fb4-40c4-84b1-b557cd9e12f3","predicate":"concept.description","statement":"DRAM generations are named 1x/1y/1z then 1-alpha/1-beta/1-gamma rather than in nanometres; Micron reports 1-alpha from 2021 (+40% density over 1z) and 1-beta from 2022 (16Gb per die, ~35% better density), while independent analysis puts current node migration at only 10-15% density gain per generation.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"a739cd03-afe9-4ed7-a7d3-b35940571b53","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":true,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"How DRAM changed the world","publisher":"Micron Technology","url":"https://www.micron.com/about/blog/memory/dram/how-dram-changed-the-world","source_type":"company_website","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2024-02-13","documents":[]}},{"id":"971cfc30-a51a-4456-9766-1fc24c3915ec","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Deep Dive on Memory (Primer)","publisher":"Nomad Semi (Moore Morris)","url":"https://www.nomadsemi.com/p/deep-dive-on-memory-primer","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2025-09-30","documents":[]}},{"id":"e08a4612-99af-43f0-9896-9913b9a497c0","stance":"qualifies","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"How DRAM changed the world","publisher":"Micron Technology","url":"https://www.micron.com/about/blog/memory/dram/how-dram-changed-the-world","source_type":"company_website","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2024-02-13","documents":[]}}]}]},{"slug":"dram-capacitor","name":"DRAM Storage Capacitor","category":"component","canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory#dram-capacitor","assertions":[{"id":"40d89881-ebd5-4362-941a-92ca3726174e","predicate":"concept.description","statement":"A DRAM capacitor is built vertically to hold enough charge in almost no area — etched down as a trench capacitor or built upward as the stacked capacitor current manufacturers use — with depth-to-width ratios past 50:1 by the mid-2000s and cell areas of roughly 6 to 8 F squared.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"77ea039a-718a-4aa5-a47f-030674599551","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Dynamic random-access memory","publisher":"Wikipedia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_random-access_memory","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":null,"documents":[]}},{"id":"afa6f689-886e-442f-bdc5-970e93720edb","stance":"qualifies","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Dynamic random-access memory","publisher":"Wikipedia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_random-access_memory","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":null,"documents":[]}}]},{"id":"61758034-e880-48e2-9a48-14e3f45dd903","predicate":"concept.description","statement":"Cell capacitance fell below 10 femtofarads by the 1z and 1-alpha generations against a 6-7 fF floor, and a TechInsights analyst assessed that 10 nm may be the last node for the conventional 6F2 cell — with capacitorless IGZO designs a post-2028 candidate.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"ee0ae3fe-5087-405c-8217-406ab099d0be","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"DRAM Scaling Trend and Beyond","publisher":"TechInsights (Dr. Jeongdong Choe)","url":"https://www.techinsights.com/blog/dram-scaling-trend-and-beyond","source_type":"journalism","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2022-06-01","documents":[]}},{"id":"c38785ea-50e7-4522-8fb6-d2aa343fd1ff","stance":"qualifies","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"DRAM Scaling Trend and Beyond","publisher":"TechInsights (Dr. Jeongdong Choe)","url":"https://www.techinsights.com/blog/dram-scaling-trend-and-beyond","source_type":"journalism","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2022-06-01","documents":[]}}]},{"id":"6ac93057-c62c-4f81-ab21-824f24a4afcb","predicate":"concept.description","statement":"The peripheral logic and interconnect around the cell array must scale too or it eats the die; DRAM has used silane or TEOS silicon oxides as the interconnect dielectric for about 25 years, and thinning it further causes capacitive coupling — the wall logic hit twenty years earlier and answered with copper low-k.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"f13030bc-0024-4062-8092-caa687c6397c","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":true,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"DRAM Scaling Requires New Materials Engineering Solutions","publisher":"Applied Materials (Sony Varghese)","url":"https://www.appliedmaterials.com/us/en/blog/blog-posts/dram-scaling-requires-new-materials-engineering-solutions.html","source_type":"company_website","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":null,"documents":[]}}]},{"id":"a9c56764-732f-434c-aed7-0071b1389b6d","predicate":"concept.description","statement":"A DRAM capacitor is a metal-insulator-metal stack inside a deep hole — a titanium nitride bottom electrode, a high-k dielectric, a second electrode — with charge proportional to the hole's inner and outer surface area; the etch is limited by an amorphous-polysilicon hard mask that erodes as it cuts, and can be consumed before the hole is finished.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"991e25d7-47ae-4e1e-8b1e-83db97886de0","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":true,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"DRAM Scaling Requires New Materials Engineering Solutions","publisher":"Applied Materials (Sony Varghese)","url":"https://www.appliedmaterials.com/us/en/blog/blog-posts/dram-scaling-requires-new-materials-engineering-solutions.html","source_type":"company_website","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":null,"documents":[]}},{"id":"f0a9faba-5ee6-497c-91bf-db55af75bf41","stance":"qualifies","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"DRAM Scaling Requires New Materials Engineering Solutions","publisher":"Applied Materials (Sony Varghese)","url":"https://www.appliedmaterials.com/us/en/blog/blog-posts/dram-scaling-requires-new-materials-engineering-solutions.html","source_type":"company_website","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":null,"documents":[]}}]}]},{"slug":"dram-wafer-crowding-out","name":"DRAM Wafer Crowding-Out","category":"process","canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory#dram-wafer-crowding-out","assertions":[{"id":"dd7dde87-bd07-4c11-953d-d9f4ed2dadb9","predicate":"concept.description","statement":"HBM was projected to consume about 18%, 22% and 30% of total DRAM wafer input at the ends of 2025, 2026 and 2027 while contributing only about 8%, 9% and 13% of total DRAM bit supply — the widening gap between wafer share and bit share is the crowding-out of conventional DRAM, measured directly.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"ecfd049b-db11-4e5e-ac95-e697ff33b07b","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Tight DRAM Supply Gives Suppliers Greater Pricing Power in HBM, with HBM Contract Prices Expected to Surge Multiples Higher in 2027","publisher":"TrendForce","url":"https://www.trendforce.com/presscenter/news/20260602-13074.html","source_type":"journalism","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2026-06-02","documents":[]}},{"id":"7cd8028f-1214-4a2f-bed7-7ba038372a93","stance":"qualifies","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Tight DRAM Supply Gives Suppliers Greater Pricing Power in HBM, with HBM Contract Prices Expected to Surge Multiples Higher in 2027","publisher":"TrendForce","url":"https://www.trendforce.com/presscenter/news/20260602-13074.html","source_type":"journalism","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2026-06-02","documents":[]}}]}]},{"slug":"high-bandwidth-memory","name":"High Bandwidth Memory (HBM)","category":"memory_technology","canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory#high-bandwidth-memory","assertions":[]},{"slug":"memory-cost-pass-through","name":"Memory Cost Pass-Through","category":"other","canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory#memory-cost-pass-through","assertions":[{"id":"ad3f157b-f444-4275-97d1-1aeb1fab1cc6","predicate":"concept.description","statement":"IDC put memory at 15-20% of a mid-range smartphone's bill of materials and 10-15% of a flagship's, projecting 6-8% handset price rises and a 2026 market decline of 2.9% (base case) to 5.2% (pessimistic) — with entry-level devices, being the most price-elastic, hit hardest.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"e41971f6-7d0d-4013-a2a8-278616642e65","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Budget smartphones will be hit hardest as memory prices rise","publisher":"The Register","url":"https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/15/memory_crisis_smartphones/","source_type":"journalism","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2026-01-15","documents":[]}},{"id":"076f9442-40b1-4280-90c9-cc921f1f0d31","stance":"qualifies","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Budget smartphones will be hit hardest as memory prices rise","publisher":"The Register","url":"https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/15/memory_crisis_smartphones/","source_type":"journalism","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2026-01-15","documents":[]}}]},{"id":"e4514e40-8c0d-4bd2-ac27-3e8312924f96","predicate":"concept.description","statement":"J.P. Morgan estimated the memory price shock added 0.2-0.4 percentage points to inflation, with every 10% hardware cost increase lifting core CPI and PCE by roughly 0.1 points, and noted Meta raising capital expenditure guidance by $10 billion citing higher AI hardware and memory costs.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"c51bcea1-b328-4e71-b14c-b49846e48d01","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"The AI-Driven Memory Shortage: DRAM Prices, Inflation and Market Risks","publisher":"J.P. Morgan","url":"https://www.jpmorgan.com/insights/global-research/artificial-intelligence/dram-memory-shortage-from-ai","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2026-08-06","documents":[]}},{"id":"b5a5c4ad-6b3b-4b28-b326-8583de6fecee","stance":"qualifies","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"The AI-Driven Memory Shortage: DRAM Prices, Inflation and Market Risks","publisher":"J.P. Morgan","url":"https://www.jpmorgan.com/insights/global-research/artificial-intelligence/dram-memory-shortage-from-ai","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2026-08-06","documents":[]}}]}]},{"slug":"memory-industry-revenue","name":"Memory Industry Revenue","category":"other","canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory#memory-industry-revenue","assertions":[{"id":"1b9c1ed8-eb0c-4efe-9017-f0820b4403b2","predicate":"concept.description","statement":"Micron's quarter ended 28 May 2026 split as Cloud Memory $13,769 million, Core Data Center $11,524 million, Mobile and Client $11,521 million and Automotive and Embedded $4,634 million — data centre roughly 61% of revenue against about 28% consumer and 11% automotive and embedded.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"5ac747dd-1b96-407c-bf4c-41cc93eda892","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":true,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Micron Technology, Inc. — Form 8-K Exhibit 99.1, Q3 FY2026 Results Press Release","publisher":"U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (EDGAR)","url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0000723125/000072312526000013/a2026q3ex991-pressrelease.htm","source_type":"regulatory_filing","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2026-06-24","documents":[]}},{"id":"90ebacf9-b4ac-411f-8530-bf94cf834755","stance":"qualifies","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Micron Technology, Inc. — Form 8-K Exhibit 99.1, Q3 FY2026 Results Press Release","publisher":"U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (EDGAR)","url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0000723125/000072312526000013/a2026q3ex991-pressrelease.htm","source_type":"regulatory_filing","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2026-06-24","documents":[]}}]},{"id":"644cab92-d48f-4d3e-ab4d-e8e62260601a","predicate":"concept.description","statement":"Micron reported revenue of $41.456bn for the quarter ended 28 May 2026 against $9.301bn a year earlier, with GAAP gross margin rising from 37.7% to 84.6%, operating cash flow of $25.39bn and net capital expenditure of $7.1bn, guiding the next quarter to $50.0bn ± $1.0bn.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"e8a84293-7420-453f-92c7-140e47b15b55","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":true,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Micron Technology, Inc. — Form 8-K Exhibit 99.1, Q3 FY2026 Results Press Release","publisher":"U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (EDGAR)","url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0000723125/000072312526000013/a2026q3ex991-pressrelease.htm","source_type":"regulatory_filing","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2026-06-24","documents":[]}},{"id":"c7d9039f-2ecd-432b-90eb-b62e5b107e7e","stance":"qualifies","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Micron Technology, Inc. — Form 8-K Exhibit 99.1, Q3 FY2026 Results Press Release","publisher":"U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (EDGAR)","url":"https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0000723125/000072312526000013/a2026q3ex991-pressrelease.htm","source_type":"regulatory_filing","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2026-06-24","documents":[]}}]},{"id":"a63cb3c9-0322-47f9-9951-95e19e924201","predicate":"concept.description","statement":"DRAM industry revenue went from $22.9bn in 2Q24 (+24.8% on the quarter) to $41.4bn in 3Q25 (+30.9%), and the lead changed hands: SK hynix 33.2% share on $13.75bn, Samsung 32.6% on $13.5bn and Micron 25.7% on $10.65bn, up 3.7 points — Samsung did not shrink, the market grew faster around it.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"f41ce7be-fe41-436c-94cc-96bbd922fdde","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"DRAM Industry Revenue Surges 24.8% in 2Q24","publisher":"TrendForce","url":"https://www.trendforce.com/presscenter/news/20240815-12254.html","source_type":"journalism","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2024-08-15","documents":[]}},{"id":"1149fb84-ca0f-41c2-bed5-8ab64023e464","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Global DRAM Revenue Jumps 30.9% in 3Q25, Micron's Market Share Climbs by 3.7 Percentage Points","publisher":"TrendForce","url":"https://www.trendforce.com/presscenter/news/20251126-12802.html","source_type":"journalism","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2025-11-26","documents":[]}},{"id":"a32522b3-d713-4433-92a6-22b367cecf46","stance":"qualifies","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"DRAM Industry Revenue Surges 24.8% in 2Q24","publisher":"TrendForce","url":"https://www.trendforce.com/presscenter/news/20240815-12254.html","source_type":"journalism","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2024-08-15","documents":[]}}]}]},{"slug":"memory-long-term-agreement","name":"Memory Long-Term Agreement (LTA)","category":"other","canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory#memory-long-term-agreement","assertions":[{"id":"77788bfa-e5d3-4d3c-bb9a-024b5554437c","predicate":"concept.description","statement":"Multi-year long-term agreements have displaced quarterly contract negotiation in memory: SK hynix stated in July 2026 it had finalised LTAs with around ten customers, and J.P. Morgan reports some hyperscaler agreements run five years or longer — committing capacity years ahead and away from buyers who do not sign them.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"ea25ef89-e60a-4ca0-9e7c-7c8730f79dcf","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"The AI-Driven Memory Shortage: DRAM Prices, Inflation and Market Risks","publisher":"J.P. Morgan","url":"https://www.jpmorgan.com/insights/global-research/artificial-intelligence/dram-memory-shortage-from-ai","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2026-08-06","documents":[]}},{"id":"7eddeffb-164a-4399-811d-b6fda685366f","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":true,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"SK hynix Announces 2Q26 Financial Results","publisher":"SK hynix","url":"https://news.skhynix.com/en/q2-2026-business-results/","source_type":"company_website","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2026-07-29","documents":[]}},{"id":"223993ca-c616-4f58-b440-c55726618a8b","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"AI Server Demand to Drive Memory Contract Price Increases in 2Q26 as CSPs Secure Supply via Long-Term Agreements","publisher":"TrendForce","url":"https://www.trendforce.com/presscenter/news/20260331-12995.html","source_type":"journalism","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2026-03-31","documents":[]}}]}]},{"slug":"nand-flash","name":"NAND Flash","category":"memory_technology","canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory#nand-flash","assertions":[{"id":"1aed40a2-f9e8-42c7-a1f8-3fcaa3ca955e","predicate":"concept.description","statement":"TrendForce forecast NAND flash contract prices to rise 70-75% quarter-on-quarter in 2Q26 and 10-15% in 3Q26, driven by enterprise SSD demand for AI data centres rather than by HBM substitution.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"42d7d4e7-16aa-46fb-bd2e-e284b936784b","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"AI Server Demand Continues to Support Memory Prices in 3Q26, but Gains Moderate as Consumer Demand Weakens and High Base Effects Take Hold","publisher":"TrendForce","url":"https://www.trendforce.com/presscenter/news/20260703-13134.html","source_type":"journalism","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2026-07-03","documents":[]}},{"id":"4ba313ad-8e4e-4049-b2b5-5d3a4af929fa","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"AI Server Demand to Drive Memory Contract Price Increases in 2Q26 as CSPs Secure Supply via Long-Term Agreements","publisher":"TrendForce","url":"https://www.trendforce.com/presscenter/news/20260331-12995.html","source_type":"journalism","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2026-03-31","documents":[]}}]},{"id":"4a14f8fd-a98a-438c-a23a-61cb6694c1cb","predicate":"concept.description","statement":"SK hynix stated in July 2026 that its 321-layer NAND products already represented the largest share of its total production, with roughly 50% of domestic capacity targeted on that node by year end.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"8c8f532a-c810-4b54-9341-65eba2a64622","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":true,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"SK hynix Announces 2Q26 Financial Results","publisher":"SK hynix","url":"https://news.skhynix.com/en/q2-2026-business-results/","source_type":"company_website","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2026-07-29","documents":[]}}]}]},{"slug":"memory-cycle","name":"The Memory Cycle","category":"other","canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory#memory-cycle","assertions":[{"id":"0dcdaa37-6dfd-451e-ab92-721b67ff288b","predicate":"concept.description","statement":"Independent analysis puts HBM at five to ten times the per-bit price of DDR5 — the premium that pulls capacity toward HBM faster than a conventional-memory shortage can bid it back.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"1cb00b91-7af2-484b-8355-2f58755e5fd2","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Deep Dive on Memory (Primer)","publisher":"Nomad Semi (Moore Morris)","url":"https://www.nomadsemi.com/p/deep-dive-on-memory-primer","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2025-09-30","documents":[]}}]},{"id":"97f4b9d0-cfa1-48da-ae5b-8a410772e9d1","predicate":"concept.description","statement":"Memory is cyclical because fabs are committed years before output ships, so supply arrives on decisions made in a different demand environment; downturns are identified in 2011, 2019 and 2022, and the three remaining makers now cut production in downcycles rather than expanding reflexively.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"52e4dcda-d8e8-4930-bdaa-61eb7619bc7a","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Deep Dive on Memory (Primer)","publisher":"Nomad Semi (Moore Morris)","url":"https://www.nomadsemi.com/p/deep-dive-on-memory-primer","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2025-09-30","documents":[]}},{"id":"68c87886-14f8-4333-830b-0e0cda1627e2","stance":"qualifies","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Annual DRAM Revenue for 2022 Expected to Reach US$91.5 Billion","publisher":"TrendForce","url":"https://www.trendforce.com/presscenter/news/20211104-10993.html","source_type":"journalism","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2021-11-04","documents":[]}},{"id":"af544ca7-a320-41fa-9816-6c98944da5cd","stance":"qualifies","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Deep Dive on Memory (Primer)","publisher":"Nomad Semi (Moore Morris)","url":"https://www.nomadsemi.com/p/deep-dive-on-memory-primer","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2025-09-30","documents":[]}}]}]}],"events":[{"slug":"skhynix-hbm4-mass-shipment-2026","title":"SK hynix Begins Mass Shipments of HBM4","category":"shipment_milestone","event_date":"2026-01-01","date_precision":"year","country":"South Korea","region":"Asia","canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory#skhynix-hbm4-mass-shipment-2026","assertions":[{"id":"21a7f162-e7d8-4208-b1d9-d82fcd4a4d7f","predicate":"event.description","statement":"SK hynix stated in its 29 July 2026 results announcement that it began mass shipments of HBM4 during the second quarter of 2026, with a full production ramp planned for the second half of the year.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"fecffc0b-3b77-4fc0-81c5-f44aff8502ea","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":true,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"SK hynix Announces 2Q26 Financial Results","publisher":"SK hynix","url":"https://news.skhynix.com/en/q2-2026-business-results/","source_type":"company_website","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2026-07-29","documents":[]}}]}]},{"slug":"skhynix-memory-ltas-2026","title":"SK hynix Finalises Long-Term Supply Agreements with Around Ten Customers","category":"partnership","event_date":"2026-01-01","date_precision":"year","country":"South Korea","region":"Asia","canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory#skhynix-memory-ltas-2026","assertions":[{"id":"c95c14eb-63b0-4f52-92b6-426136a2f2b1","predicate":"event.description","statement":"SK hynix stated on 29 July 2026 that it had finalised long-term supply agreements with around ten customers, without naming them or disclosing durations or volumes.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"cdf74243-5273-4a6d-9623-bf0e08c63a26","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":true,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"SK hynix Announces 2Q26 Financial Results","publisher":"SK hynix","url":"https://news.skhynix.com/en/q2-2026-business-results/","source_type":"company_website","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2026-07-29","documents":[]}},{"id":"e8e0d8b6-92ec-41c4-956d-ffb7d06270ae","stance":"qualifies","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"SK hynix Announces 2Q26 Financial Results","publisher":"SK hynix","url":"https://news.skhynix.com/en/q2-2026-business-results/","source_type":"company_website","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2026-07-29","documents":[]}}]}]},{"slug":"cxmt-domestic-ddr5-launch-2025","title":"CXMT Launches China's First Domestically Developed DDR5 Memory","category":"technology_generation_milestone","event_date":"2025-11-23","date_precision":"day","country":"China","region":"Asia","canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory#cxmt-domestic-ddr5-launch-2025","assertions":[{"id":"25d75f14-cae4-4f70-9fdc-a72ee6c2bca9","predicate":"event.description","statement":"CXMT launched China's first domestically developed DDR5 DRAM on 23 November 2025 at the China International Semiconductor Expo — up to 8,000 Mbps, 24Gb maximum single-die capacity, seven module variants, with a 96GB module targeted for mass production in 2026.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"ca329207-2691-424f-bbaf-baa7c6a01ab1","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"China's CXMT Takes Aim at Global Leaders With High-End DDR5 Memory Chips","publisher":"Caixin Global","url":"https://www.caixinglobal.com/2025-11-26/chinas-cxmt-takes-aim-at-global-leaders-with-high-end-ddr5-memory-chips-102386784.html","source_type":"journalism","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2025-11-26","documents":[]}},{"id":"0b28c1fb-54d6-497f-ab8f-d1b584516bbe","stance":"qualifies","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"China's CXMT Takes Aim at Global Leaders With High-End DDR5 Memory Chips","publisher":"Caixin Global","url":"https://www.caixinglobal.com/2025-11-26/chinas-cxmt-takes-aim-at-global-leaders-with-high-end-ddr5-memory-chips-102386784.html","source_type":"journalism","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2025-11-26","documents":[]}}]}]},{"slug":"micron-1alpha-node-2021","title":"Micron Ships Its First 1-Alpha Node DRAM","category":"technology_generation_milestone","event_date":"2021-01-01","date_precision":"year","country":"United States","region":"North America","canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory#micron-1alpha-node-2021","assertions":[{"id":"bcafc5a9-0f44-4260-8269-5ba092bd92ab","predicate":"event.description","statement":"Micron released 1-alpha node DRAM in 2021, reporting a 40% density improvement over 1z and about 15% power savings on LPDDR5 — a larger step than the 10-15% per generation independent analysis reports for current nodes.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"f4b5f64f-2061-4768-9a0a-ab98a2c3475c","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":true,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"How DRAM changed the world","publisher":"Micron Technology","url":"https://www.micron.com/about/blog/memory/dram/how-dram-changed-the-world","source_type":"company_website","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2024-02-13","documents":[]}},{"id":"180bc3a5-c458-4c38-9a4f-1c57727c0d76","stance":"qualifies","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Deep Dive on Memory (Primer)","publisher":"Nomad Semi (Moore Morris)","url":"https://www.nomadsemi.com/p/deep-dive-on-memory-primer","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2025-09-30","documents":[]}}]}]},{"slug":"ddr5-published-2020","title":"JEDEC Publishes DDR5","category":"standards_milestone","event_date":"2020-07-14","date_precision":"day","country":null,"region":null,"canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory#ddr5-published-2020","assertions":[{"id":"a1e745a3-2001-418a-a39d-47a75e953ebc","predicate":"event.description","statement":"JEDEC published DDR5 on 14 July 2020 — two independent 32-bit subchannels per DIMM, on-module voltage regulation via a PMIC, and on-die ECC standard on every chip; SK hynix shipped the first production part on 6 October 2020.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"47ee2d6f-ac49-47e9-bff4-c688d097decc","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"DDR5 SDRAM","publisher":"Wikipedia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DDR5_SDRAM","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":null,"documents":[]}}]}]},{"slug":"ddr4-standardised-2014","title":"DDR4 Arrives at 1.2 Volts","category":"standards_milestone","event_date":"2014-01-01","date_precision":"year","country":null,"region":null,"canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory#ddr4-standardised-2014","assertions":[{"id":"697078c3-0691-4089-8410-241d81914479","predicate":"event.description","statement":"DDR4 arrived in 2014 at 1600-3200 MT/s and 1.2 volts, down from DDR3's 1.5V, and held the mainstream for six years — the longest run of any generation so far.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"96c8bdd2-4ac7-4b33-a9e1-8914292ced42","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"DDR SDRAM","publisher":"Wikipedia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DDR_SDRAM","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":null,"documents":[]}}]}]},{"slug":"micron-acquires-elpida-2013","title":"Micron Acquires Elpida, Completing the Three-Supplier Market","category":"other","event_date":"2013-01-01","date_precision":"year","country":"United States","region":"North America","canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory#micron-acquires-elpida-2013","assertions":[{"id":"ed0e4294-6351-4d09-86eb-c63e8b55b070","predicate":"event.description","statement":"Micron acquired Elpida in 2013, a year after SK Telecom acquired Hynix for a reported $3 billion — the two transactions that closed four decades of consolidation into three suppliers holding roughly 95% of global DRAM revenue.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"2fb9678e-bd5e-4470-9747-a848f4562928","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Deep Dive on Memory (Primer)","publisher":"Nomad Semi (Moore Morris)","url":"https://www.nomadsemi.com/p/deep-dive-on-memory-primer","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2025-09-30","documents":[]}}]}]},{"slug":"qimonda-insolvency-2009","title":"Qimonda Files for Insolvency","category":"other","event_date":"2009-01-01","date_precision":"year","country":"Germany","region":"Europe","canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory#qimonda-insolvency-2009","assertions":[{"id":"7424f44f-9147-49d0-a879-90dd41bb69bb","predicate":"event.description","statement":"Qimonda filed for insolvency protection in the year after Micron's 2008 purchase of a 35.5% stake in Inotera, removing Europe's last major DRAM maker and leaving four players — Samsung, Hynix, Micron and Elpida.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"ddccd448-7aea-4233-b49b-1ab62d24e1da","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Deep Dive on Memory (Primer)","publisher":"Nomad Semi (Moore Morris)","url":"https://www.nomadsemi.com/p/deep-dive-on-memory-primer","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2025-09-30","documents":[]}}]}]},{"slug":"ddr-sdram-standardised-2000","title":"JEDEC Finalises the First DDR SDRAM Standard (JESD79)","category":"standards_milestone","event_date":"2000-06-01","date_precision":"month","country":null,"region":null,"canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory#ddr-sdram-standardised-2000","assertions":[{"id":"37e466cc-b5c5-439e-8323-924785c31a5e","predicate":"event.description","statement":"JEDEC finalised the first DDR SDRAM specification, JESD79, in June 2000, formalising an interface that transfers on both clock edges — the basis every generation through DDR5 revises.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"8b5e0654-a760-4dda-a5f5-2fe832da2a10","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"DDR SDRAM","publisher":"Wikipedia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DDR_SDRAM","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":null,"documents":[]}}]}]},{"slug":"elpida-formed-1999","title":"NEC and Hitachi Fold Their DRAM Operations into Elpida","category":"other","event_date":"1999-01-01","date_precision":"year","country":"Japan","region":"Asia","canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory#elpida-formed-1999","assertions":[{"id":"47f3ec3b-0831-4e35-88e2-145d565f5602","predicate":"event.description","statement":"NEC and Hitachi folded their DRAM operations into Elpida in 1999, after the 1997 Asian financial crisis that had already forced the LG Semicon and Hyundai Electronics merger in Korea which became SK hynix.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"59706a50-48ef-4c27-bef3-e5ffe67f4879","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Deep Dive on Memory (Primer)","publisher":"Nomad Semi (Moore Morris)","url":"https://www.nomadsemi.com/p/deep-dive-on-memory-primer","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2025-09-30","documents":[]}}]}]},{"slug":"korea-tops-dram-market-1992","title":"South Korea Reaches the Top of the DRAM Market","category":"other","event_date":"1992-01-01","date_precision":"year","country":"South Korea","region":"Asia","canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory#korea-tops-dram-market-1992","assertions":[{"id":"e1d55ee4-6c2d-4a56-8146-9fa608331e28","predicate":"event.description","statement":"Korean industry reached the top of the global DRAM market in 1992, about nine years after its first 64-kilobit part, and had not been displaced by 2022, when it held 70.5% of the market.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"220af14b-6c4d-434d-a9b8-49d0c83e91b8","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Dynamic random-access memory","publisher":"Wikipedia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_random-access_memory","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":null,"documents":[]}},{"id":"bb7fbc27-6711-415a-a190-483677791c6f","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Semiconductor industry in South Korea","publisher":"Wikipedia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semiconductor_industry_in_South_Korea","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":null,"documents":[]}}]}]},{"slug":"us-japan-semiconductor-agreement-1986","title":"The US-Japan Semiconductor Agreement","category":"other","event_date":"1986-01-01","date_precision":"year","country":"Japan","region":"Asia","canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory#us-japan-semiconductor-agreement-1986","assertions":[{"id":"a1cb3ae5-ef2c-41a0-b036-71f070e91535","predicate":"event.description","statement":"The 1986 US-Japan Semiconductor Agreement had Japan maintain minimum chip prices and raise the foreign share of its domestic market from 10% to 20%; the US imposed 100% punitive tariffs on certain Japanese memory chips in 1987.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"96a8d77f-d5d0-4674-8274-b559a5c9fd24","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Deep Dive on Memory (Primer)","publisher":"Nomad Semi (Moore Morris)","url":"https://www.nomadsemi.com/p/deep-dive-on-memory-primer","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2025-09-30","documents":[]}},{"id":"9b749db3-094e-4864-bf04-adee53380c27","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Semiconductor industry in Japan","publisher":"Wikipedia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semiconductor_industry_in_Japan","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":null,"documents":[]}}]}]},{"slug":"korea-64k-dram-1983","title":"South Korea Develops 64-Kilobit DRAM","category":"technology_generation_milestone","event_date":"1983-01-01","date_precision":"year","country":"South Korea","region":"Asia","canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory#korea-64k-dram-1983","assertions":[{"id":"f966492d-11e4-45e2-83e3-304e65c72eb7","predicate":"event.description","statement":"By the end of 1983 South Korea had developed 64-kilobit DRAM, the third country to do so after the United States and Japan, five years after Samsung Semiconductor was founded in 1978.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"6f1de714-e045-4cd8-9f65-0d0fd22c7cb9","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Semiconductor industry in South Korea","publisher":"Wikipedia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semiconductor_industry_in_South_Korea","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":null,"documents":[]}}]}]},{"slug":"japan-super-lsi-project-1976","title":"Japan Launches the Super LSI Project","category":"other","event_date":"1976-01-01","date_precision":"year","country":"Japan","region":"Asia","canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory#japan-super-lsi-project-1976","assertions":[{"id":"a324ea75-ba03-42c0-ba86-10cc672f4376","predicate":"event.description","statement":"Japan established the Super LSI project in 1976, uniting Fujitsu, Hitachi, NEC, Mitsubishi Electric, NTT and Toshiba; within four years it had developed advanced electron-beam lithography, and Japan went from about 15% of the global semiconductor market in the early 1970s to roughly 50% in the 1980s.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"67efa7da-cae4-4b87-a9b0-5ae088f2d33e","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Semiconductor industry in Japan","publisher":"Wikipedia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semiconductor_industry_in_Japan","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":null,"documents":[]}}]}]},{"slug":"mostek-mk4096-1973","title":"Mostek's MK4096 Introduces Multiplexed Addressing","category":"technology_generation_milestone","event_date":"1973-01-01","date_precision":"year","country":"United States","region":"North America","canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory#mostek-mk4096-1973","assertions":[{"id":"6f018d3c-374f-42bc-a5e8-394aaa23c231","predicate":"event.description","statement":"Mostek introduced the 4-kilobit MK4096 with multiplexed addressing in 1973, keeping pin counts manageable as density rose; its 16-kilobit successor the MK4116 reached about 75% market share by 1976.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"1cf5d800-ad7b-4def-b706-370213d2cbf8","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Dynamic random-access memory","publisher":"Wikipedia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_random-access_memory","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":null,"documents":[]}}]}]},{"slug":"intel-1103-released-1970","title":"Intel Releases the 1103, the First Commercial DRAM","category":"production_milestone","event_date":"1970-10-01","date_precision":"month","country":"United States","region":"North America","canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory#intel-1103-released-1970","assertions":[{"id":"617748d0-9c69-46ff-afcb-9a53572d58dc","predicate":"event.description","statement":"Intel released the 1103 in October 1970 — the first commercially available DRAM, holding 1,024 bits, and a three-transistor design rather than Dennard's one-transistor cell. It displaced magnetic core memory within about two years.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"11231261-a704-4dbc-99f0-b17387c4c4a0","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Thanks for the Memories","publisher":"IEEE Spectrum (Sally Adee)","url":"https://spectrum.ieee.org/thanks-for-the-memories","source_type":"journalism","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2009-05-01","documents":[]}},{"id":"fe15cb3e-d714-41b4-9742-4d4d908e0f5d","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Dynamic random-access memory","publisher":"Wikipedia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_random-access_memory","source_type":"other","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":null,"documents":[]}}]}]},{"slug":"dram-patent-granted-1968","title":"The DRAM Patent Is Granted","category":"standards_milestone","event_date":"1968-06-04","date_precision":"day","country":"United States","region":"North America","canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory#dram-patent-granted-1968","assertions":[{"id":"15fb3186-aab4-4a39-b77a-cc86ba3e0c2b","predicate":"event.description","statement":"The patent on Dennard's single-transistor DRAM cell was granted on 4 June 1968 — a date given by Micron's account, where IBM's own page states only the year. No source retrieved gives the patent number.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"89e5cf6d-6239-4540-8a3f-d9291bddc580","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":true,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"How DRAM changed the world","publisher":"Micron Technology","url":"https://www.micron.com/about/blog/memory/dram/how-dram-changed-the-world","source_type":"company_website","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2024-02-13","documents":[]}},{"id":"f9265815-62ec-4313-b21c-701c79618ade","stance":"qualifies","is_primary_for_assertion":true,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Dynamic random-access memory (DRAM)","publisher":"IBM","url":"https://www.ibm.com/history/dram","source_type":"company_website","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":null,"documents":[]}}]}]},{"slug":"dennard-invents-dram-cell-1966","title":"Robert Dennard Invents the One-Transistor DRAM Cell","category":"technology_generation_milestone","event_date":"1966-01-01","date_precision":"year","country":"United States","region":"North America","canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory#dennard-invents-dram-cell-1966","assertions":[{"id":"e13f973c-a65d-4105-a06f-9523e93f52ca","predicate":"event.description","statement":"Robert Dennard conceived the one-transistor DRAM cell at IBM in 1966, storing a bit as charge on a capacitor with a single access transistor against six per bit in competing designs — though IEEE Spectrum dates the conception to 1967.","assessment":"disputed","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"6b964f51-97d2-495d-9ac4-fa5f3d13211d","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":true,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Dynamic random-access memory (DRAM)","publisher":"IBM","url":"https://www.ibm.com/history/dram","source_type":"company_website","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":null,"documents":[]}},{"id":"e2dd8dea-dc3a-455a-8b6b-0b73395caa5d","stance":"challenges","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Thanks for the Memories","publisher":"IEEE Spectrum (Sally Adee)","url":"https://spectrum.ieee.org/thanks-for-the-memories","source_type":"journalism","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2009-05-01","documents":[]}}]}]},{"slug":"samsung-pyeongtaek-p5-acceleration-2026","title":"Samsung Accelerates Pyeongtaek P5 Mega-Fab Expansion","category":"capacity_announcement","event_date":null,"date_precision":"unknown","country":"South Korea","region":"Asia","canonical_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory#samsung-pyeongtaek-p5-acceleration-2026","assertions":[{"id":"587d52ae-9399-451b-a4dd-1566c326ccdf","predicate":"event.description","statement":"Samsung advanced its Pyeongtaek P5 mega-fab expansion by at least six months; P5 Fab 1 and Fab 2 combined are reported to reach roughly 600,000 twelve-inch wafers per month, against Samsung's current DRAM output of about 650,000 per month.","assessment":"reported","editor_reviewed":false,"reference_only_source_count":0,"evidence":[{"id":"69a37a4c-0a4f-4c94-b3c7-8f13e25cd2f1","stance":"supports","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Samsung fast-tracks mega-fab expansion to meet surging AI demand","publisher":"Korea Economic Daily (KED Global)","url":"https://www.kedglobal.com/korean-chipmakers/newsView/ked202606210002","source_type":"journalism","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2026-06-21","documents":[]}},{"id":"805887e7-9457-46c1-b888-a7a30c5d6062","stance":"qualifies","is_primary_for_assertion":false,"origin_independence":"unknown","note":null,"quote":null,"source":{"title":"Samsung fast-tracks mega-fab expansion to meet surging AI demand","publisher":"Korea Economic Daily (KED Global)","url":"https://www.kedglobal.com/korean-chipmakers/newsView/ked202606210002","source_type":"journalism","retrieval_status":"fetched","content_inspected":true,"published_at":"2026-06-21","documents":[]}}]}]}],"policy":{"publication_model":"transparency","evidence_entries_may_share_a_source":true,"linked_documents_do_not_add_verification":true,"correction_intake_available":false,"assessment_meanings":{"primary-source confirmed":"Editor-reviewed against a first-party source.","cross-source corroborated":"Editor-confirmed across two independent origins.","reported":"Supported by the attached sources; not yet editor-reviewed.","disputed":"Sources conflict; competing accounts are both attached.","superseded":"Replaced by a newer assertion.","unverified":"No supporting evidence attached."},"evidence_eligibility":"`evidence[]` contains only sources whose content was actually retrieved and read (`content_inspected: true`). Sources that could not be retrieved are counted per-assertion in `reference_only_source_count`, listed for the whole collection in `consulted_references`, and never presented as evidence. `source_count` counts only sources an assertion actually rests on — it deliberately excludes `consulted_references`, so it is never inflated by material nobody could read.","topic_scope":"Assertions and source counts are limited to the topic's current packet lineage. Reusing a concept in another topic does not silently import that other topic's assertions.","rights":"Statements are Manufacturing.ai's own prose. Source excerpts are not redistributed; `quote` is present only where explicitly cleared.","attribution":"Cite as Manufacturing.ai, https://www.manufacturing.ai/topics/memory","correction_url":"https://www.manufacturing.ai/methodology#corrections"}}