Micron Rejects 4F² DRAM Architecture, Maintains 6F² Path Toward 3D DRAM

Micron Technology (MU) will not adopt the 4F² DRAM architecture being pursued by China's CXMT, opting instead to retain its 6F² design and move directly to 3D DRAM, President and CTO Scott DeBoer said at an October 21 technical seminar. CXMT (688825-CN) President Cao Kanyu disclosed on October 10 that the company plans to launch next-generation DDR5 RDIMMs on a 4F² architecture by year-end, cutting chip area by roughly 30% versus mainstream 6F² and raising output per wafer. DeBoer said capacitor pitch, not transistor structure, determines whether density and cost gains persist. UBS analysts noted Micron's concern over limited scaling paths for vertical-channel transistors, while Deutsche Bank's Melissa Weathers said Micron evaluated 4F² for decades and built prototypes before rejecting it. Samsung (005930KS) is reportedly weighing 4F² adoption at its 0a-nanometer node by late 2028. Nomura expects no material impact from either 4F² or 3D DRAM before 2028, projecting CXMT volume production in 2027-2028. TrendForce data show generic DRAM contract price growth slowing to a projected 10%-15% in the fourth quarter from 93%-98% in the first quarter of 2026.