Samsung said Monday it has launched mass production of memory chips using its own 80-nanometer manufacturing technology. The 80-nanometer technology, first developed by Samsung Electronics in September 2003, boosts productivity about 50 percent compared to the 90-nano technology, the company said.

Fewer nanometers mean more semiconductors can be produced from each wafer.

By using the new process, Samsung Electronics said it will manufacture 512-megabyte double data rate (DDR) 2 dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chips.

In 2003, Samsung Electronics commenced production of chips using 100-nano technology for the first time in the world, followed by the 90-nano technology in 2004 and the current 80-nano technology, which were also the first of their kind, the company said.