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    Micron 1α (1-alpha) DRAM technology

    Significant improvements in memory density, power efficiency and performance. Micron demonstrated its innovation with the introduction of 1α DRAM, a key step in DRAM process technology.

    Understanding 1α DRAM

    1α DRAM is a Micron memory technology built on the fourth-generation 10nm‑class DRAM node, representing a key step in node scaling. Following earlier 1x, 1y and 1z generations, 1α introduced new lithography and patterning approaches that enabled continued scaling of memory cells, making them smaller and more efficient.

    While newer generations such as 1β (1beta) and 1γ (1gamma) have since been introduced, 1α remains widely used and continues to provide strong memory density, power efficiency and performance.

    Pioneering technology

    Because the cell size of 1α is very small, physics makes conventional photolithography nearly impossible. To deliver industry-leading node advancement, Micron pioneered a nanomanufacturing process that combines computational lithography and multiple patterning to overcome these limitations and deliver the world’s first 1α node.

    Robot manufacturing

    Improved memory density

    Micron’s 1α DRAM significantly improves memory density over the previous 1z generation. This enables higher capacity to support data-hungry applications and improve performance across mobile devices, smart vehicles, data centers and industrial edge environments.

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    Enhanced energy efficiency

    Micron’s 1α DRAM enables lower-power mobile DRAM and supports fast LPDDR5 speeds for mobile platforms that require high performance without compromising power efficiency.

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    improvement in memory density when compared to Micron’s previous 1z DRAM node.

    40%

    power savings when compared to the previous 1z generation of Micron's mobile DRAM.

    15%

    usable densities supported by Micron’s 1α node (8Gb-16Gb die densities)

    40%

    Thy Tran on Micron's 1α process technology

    It’s one thing to build something that’s big and recognizable, like a car or house. It’s quite another to build something so small that billions can fit in an area the size of a fingernail. This latter process, called nanomanufacturing, is how Micron fabricates memory chips — and in 2020, we unveiled what was then the world’s most advanced nanomanufacturing technology called 1α. Watch Thy Tran, our vice president of Front-End Procurement at Micron, explain 1α DRAM process technology.

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    Thy Tran on Micron's 1α Process Technology video
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    Inside 1α — Micron's advanced DRAM process technology

    In early 2021, Micron announced volume shipment of memory chips built using what was then the world’s most advanced DRAM process technology, 1α. This manufacturing technology offers significant improvements in bit density, energy efficiency and performance. Discover what 1α is and why it represents a major leap forward in nanomanufacturing technology.

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    FAQs

    1α (1alpha) DRAM is a Micron memory technology based on the fourth-generation 10nm-class node that enabled smaller, more efficient memory cells. It increased density, power efficiency, and performance compared to earlier nodes, and remains widely used even as newer generations like 1β and 1γ have emerged.

    1α DRAM builds on earlier nodes like 1z by enabling smaller memory cells and more efficient manufacturing. Compared to 1z, it delivers higher memory density and improved power efficiency, allowing more data to be stored in the same space while reducing energy consumption.

    1α DRAM is used across a wide range of systems, including smartphones, laptops, data center servers, and embedded applications such as automotive and industrial systems. Its balance of density, power efficiency, and performance makes it well-suited for both high-volume and long-lifecycle products.

    1α is part of the 10nm-class DRAM scaling roadmap, following 1x, 1y, and 1z nodes and preceding newer nodes like 1β and 1γ. Each generation reduces the size of memory cells and improves efficiency, enabling continued performance gains as computing demands increase.

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