Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) is rejecting an advanced memory architecture gaining attention after Chinese rival ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) reported progress.

Scott DeBoer, Micron’s president and chief technology and products officer, said in an interview with Nikkei Asia published on Wednesday that the company has studied 4F-squared technology for more than two decades but does not currently include it "on the roadmap." The company plans to continue advancing 6F-squared memory and next-generation three-dimensional DRAM.

Most DRAM chips use 6F-squared structures, which describe the area occupied by an individual memory cell. Although smaller figures can support tighter packing, DeBoer said the architecture alone does not guarantee higher capacity.

“It’s a bit of a myth that 4F-squared actually provides anything versus 6F-squared,” he said.

On Tuesday, during a webinar, DeBoer described the recent comparisons between both the designs as "smoke and mirrors," arguing that capacitor pitch, rather than the cell structure itself, determines DRAM scaling. He called 4F-squared more “complex and costly,” with fundamental physics constraints.

DeBoer said, “for Micron, the position where EUV (extreme ultraviolet) is required is exactly the same whether you’re building it with 4F-squared or with 6F-squared.”

CXMT’s DRAM Gains Pressures Micron

Micron’s CTO’s comments come as CXMT reported progress on 4F-squared technology at an industry conference in Shanghai, earlier this month. The development intensified questions about whether Chinese manufacturers could compete in higher-value server memory, rather than focusing primarily on lower-end products.

CXMT ranked fourth in global DRAM revenue, and its share rose to 9.5% in the second quarter from 7.6% in the first, according to TrendForce data on Oct. 12. Samsung Electronics (OTC: SSNLF) led with a 39.4% share, followed by SK hynix Inc. (NASDAQ:SKHY) with 24.9%, and Micron at 23.3%.

Last month, the Chinese company said it had begun mass production using a fifth-generation DRAM platform, marking a potential advance in China’s effort to challenge established memory producers.

CXMT had indicated that it could introduce server-memory products using the architecture by the end of 2026. Those plans contributed to pressure on shares of Micron and South Korea’s SK hynix Inc. (NASDAQ:SKHY), as investors weighed potential effects on supply, pricing and production economics.

Price Action: Year-to-date, Micron stock surged 220.13%, as per Benzinga Pro. During Thursday’s pre-market trading session, it was trading 3.59% lower at $880.85.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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