Powerchip Technology has reiterated its efforts to expand the company's NAND flash business, while maintaining DRAM as a focus.

Company chairman Frank Huang revealed recently that Powerchip aims to advance its manufacturing technology to a 20nm-class process.

Powerchip will begin volume producing 16Gb NAND flash chips on an 40nm process in the second half of 2010, according to Huang. Huang noted that his company has invested about NT$7 billion (US$218 million) over the previous six years to develop its flash business.

Huang was quoted in previous reports saying Powerchip obtained a technology license from Renesas Technology in 2005, and has been developing in-house technology since. The claim was made while the company was bidding for government funding around the latter half of 2009, and Taiwan Innovative Memory Company (TIMC) was its main rival in the race.

Huang noted that the development of a 20nm technology can be viewed as a breakthrough in Taiwan's home-grown technology for NAND flash production. Powerchip is now capable of producing 4Gb products using its in-house developed 75nm NAND flash process node, Huang added.

Powerchip's flash business will place its focus on niche and customized products, differentiating itself from bigger rivals that target mass-market consumers, according to Huang.

By: DocMemory
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