Micron to invest $3.7 billion in Japan for new DRAM chips

US memory chip maker, Micron Technology is aiming to become the first semiconductor company to introduce EUV technology for production in Japan. With support from the Japanese government, it is planning a significant investment of up to 500 billion yen ($3.70 billion) in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) technology.

The primary focus of this investment will be on utilizing the latest extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV) chipmaking machines to produce 1-gamma chips. These advanced chips are crucial for the mass production of materials required in complex applications such as image processing networks.

Starting in 2025, it plans to implement EUV into production on the 1-gamma node in both Taiwan and Japan. This investment will span over the next few years.

This decision follows Micron's successful venture into mass production of their innovative high-capacity low-power 1-beta dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chips at their Hiroshima plant last year. DRAM chips, known for their volatile memory nature, provide essential memory storage functions.

The development is part of Japan's effort to revive its chip sector, which has experienced a decline in global market share from around 50% in the late 1980s to approximately 10% currently, according to Reuters. In parallel, the United States is actively courting allies like Taiwanese TMSC to bolster its chip supplies and in countering China's advancements in chip technology.