SK Hynix Receives 'SUPEX Pursuit Award' for Achievements in Mobile DRAM and Material Localization

Two Categories of Innovation Award and Synergy Award in 'SUPEX Chugusang'

SK Hynix announced on the 31st that its employees received the Innovation Award and Synergy Award at the 'SUPEX Pursuit Award' ceremony held at the SK Group headquarters in Seorin-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, attended by members from various affiliated companies.

The SUPEX Pursuit Award is the most prestigious award within the SK Group. It is given to members of affiliated companies who have achieved innovation through new challenges. Among them, the Innovation Award is based on cases of exemplary challenges and achievements through technological innovation within the group, while the Synergy Award is determined based on cases of achievements through collaboration.

SK Hynix stated that Vice Presidents Lee Sang-kwon and Kwon Eon-oh (Fellow), Team Leaders Hong Yoon-seok and Jo Sung-kwon from its DRAM development department, and Team Leader Son Yuk-ik from the Future Technology Research Institute received the Innovation Award based on their development achievements of the mobile DRAM 'Low Power Double Data Rate (LPDDR)5'.

Last November, SK Hynix was the first in the world to introduce the High-K Metal Gate (HKMG) process to LPDDR, developing LPDDR5X with improved performance compared to the existing LPDDR5. In January, they also succeeded in developing LPDDR5T, which operates 13% faster than LPDDR5X.

An SK Hynix employee who received the Innovation Award at the 'SUPEX Pursuit Award' ceremony is taking a commemorative photo with SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won (fourth from the left). / Photo by SK Hynix

The HKMG process is a next-generation process technology that uses materials with a high dielectric constant (K) in the insulating film inside DRAM transistors to block leakage current and improve capacitance. Its advantage is that it can increase speed while reducing power consumption.

Team Leader Son Yun-ik said, "Applying the HKMG process to LPDDR was a great challenge because it meant changing the paradigm rather than just developing new technology," adding, "Thanks to the voluntary collaboration of members and the SUPEX spirit to demonstrate the best capabilities, we were able to achieve results."

The Synergy Award was jointly received by SK Hynix and SK Materials Performance employees.

At SK Hynix, Vice President (Fellow) Kim Jae-hyun of EUV Materials Technology, Vice President Yoon Hong-sung of FAB Raw Material Purchasing, Vice President (Fellow) Gil Deok-shin of the Future Technology Research Institute, and Team Leader Son Min-seok were awarded for their contributions to the localization of extreme ultraviolet photoresist (EUV PR), a key semiconductor process material.

SK Hynix collaborated with SK Materials Performance to localize EUV PR, achieving normalization of material supply. They reduced the material import dependency, which was as high as 91%. Vice President Kim Jae-hyun said, "We will not forget the significance of this award and will continue our efforts to enhance cost competitiveness at the product manufacturing stage through ongoing collaboration."