Taiwan-based pure-play foundry United Microelectronics (UMC) has claimed its DRAM technology design is entirely different from Micron Technology's.

UMC is involved in an indictment unsealed earlier in November by the US Department of Justice accusing the Taiwan-based company and China's Fujian Jinhua Integrated Circuit of stealing trade secrets from Micron.

In its most-recent statement concerning the indictment, UMC said its DRAM technology is "fundamentally based on a cell design entirely different from Micron's design." UMC continued "in a nutshell, UMC developed a memory cell with a 3x2 layout, which is completely different from Micron's 2x3 memory cell."

UMC noted it had "nearly 15 years of experience in manufacturing DRAM products." UMC was engaged in the fabrication of DRAM from 1996 to 2010.

"Since UMC began its contractual obligations to develop the DRAM process technology for Jinhua and itself, UMC has expended hundreds of millions of New Taiwan Dollars. Although the number of R&D team members working on this DRAM project was at times close to 300, less than 10% of them once worked for Micron," UMC noted in the statement.

UMC agreed to develop production technology processes for China-based DRAM startup Jinhua Integrated Circuit according to a deal struck in 2016. However, following the DoJ indictment, the Taiwan-based company has decided to halt temporarily its R&D activities with Jinhua until those activities are "clear to resume by the appropriate regulatory authorities."

UMC also pointed out that Micron's 25nm DRAM technology was purchased from Rexchip Electronics which the US firm acquired in 2013. The Taiwan-based company regarded Micron's 25nm DRAM technology development in the US as a "false impression."

UMC added it "will vigorously defend itself against any false charges and misconceived allegations."

By: DocMemory
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