On May 22, 2026, Micron, the U.S. memory chip behemoth, declared that its wafer fabrication facility in Manassas, Virginia, has officially kicked off production employing the 1α (1-alpha) node DRAM manufacturing technique. This technique embodies the fourth-generation 10-nanometer-class technology, boasting a memory density roughly 40% higher than that of the preceding 1z node. Its objective is to substantially boost the performance and capacity of industrial-grade memory chips. The overall investment in this expansion endeavor surpasses $2 billion, with large-scale production anticipated by the end of 2026, leading to a quadrupling of DDR4 wafer output. The project is also set to generate over 3,100 jobs and will be backed by various incentives from federal, state, and local governments. Moreover, Micron has plans to construct new facilities in New York and Idaho to further augment semiconductor manufacturing capabilities within the United States.