Inotera Memories has completed its 42nm process technology transition, according to the company, which added that it has also started 30nm pilot runs with commercial production scheduled for 2012.

Inotera is striving to introduce more advanced process technologies to improve yields and manufacturing capacity, the company noted.

Inotera said it has budgeted NT$17 billion (US$560 million) in capex for 2011, to finance its purchase of equipment necessary for process technology upgrades.

Inotera is a DRAM-manufacturing joint venture between Micron Technology and Nanya Technology. It has a monthly capacity of 130,000 12-inch wafers split equally between the two investors.

Fellow DRAM manufacturer Rexchip Electronics converted all of its chip production to a 45nm process at the end of 2010, and has been accelerating its shift to 30nm to further reduce costs, the company was quoted as saying in previous reports. Japan-based Elpida Memory currently holds a 64% stake in Rexchip, although Elpida president and CEO Yukio Sakamoto has recently disclosed intentions to buyout the remaining stake from partner, Powerchip Technology.

Industry leaders Samsung Electronics and Elpida have both unveiled their 20nm-class node technologies, and expect to utilize the newer 2Xnm processes as their major DRAM production nodes in 2012.