SK hynix Inc., the world's second-largest memory chipmaker, said Sunday it has signed a strategic alliance deal with IBM Corp. on the development of a next-generation semiconductor and technology licensing.

Under the deal, SK hynix and IBM will work together to develop a phase-change random access memory (PRAM), a new type of a nonvolatile memory chip, the South Korean company said.

PRAMs are more than 100 times faster than NAND flash memory chips in reading and writing with their durability over 1,000 times better. Easy to manufacture, PRAMs are expected to help reduce production costs and emerge as a next-generation memory solution.

The alliance calls for SK hynix and IBM to develop the so-called storage class memory chip designed to improve the performance of computer servers and save electricity.

The tieup with IBM will help SK hynix to hone its competitive edge in the field of next-generation memory chips, said an official at the Korean chipmaker. (Yonhap)