|
 |
|
|
|
Toshiba/Sandisk fights back with 19nm flash
|
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Last week, Intel Corp. and Micron Technology Inc. took the process technology lead in the NAND flash market by rolling out a 20-nm process.
This week, Intel and Micron lost the lead. SanDisk Corp. and Toshiba Corp. have regained the lead, claiming that they have fabricated NAND flash memories with 19-nm process technology. The two companies have a joint manufacturing venture in Japan.
This was seen as a major surprise. SanDisk and Toshiba were expected to announce a 1x-nm-class NAND device, but not until year's end, observers said. So, in other words, Intel and Micron held the NAND process lead for a mere seven days.
This latest technology from the SanDisk-Toshiba duo has already been applied to 2-bit-per-cell, 64-gigabit chips. This enables 8-GB on a single chip. Toshiba and SanDisk will also add 3-bit-per-cell products fabricated with the 19-nm process technology to its product line-up.
The 19-nm process will be ramped up within Fab 4-not Fab 5-at its Yokkaichi Operations in Japan, according to Toshiba. Yokkaichi Operations currently has four NAND flash memory fabs. Toshiba and SanDisk have been ramping production in Fab 4-a 300-mm plant.
Last year, Japan's Toshiba started the construction of a new NAND flash memory fab, dubbed Fab 5, also a 300-mm plant. Construction work is scheduled for completion in the spring of 2011.
Toshiba said samples of 2-bit-per-cell, 64-Gbit line will be available at the end of this month, with mass production scheduled for the third quarter of the year.
Application of the 19-nm generation process technology will further shrink chip size, allowing Toshiba to assemble 16 64-Gbit NAND flash memory chips in one package and to deliver 128-GB devices for smartphones and tablet PCs. The 19-nm process products are also equipped with Toggle DDR2.0, which enhances data transfer speed.
For its part, SanDisk will sample its 19-nm, 64-Gbit X2 device this quarter and expects to begin high-volume production in the second half of 2011. At that time, SanDisk will also add 3-bits-per-cell products fabricated with the 19-nm process technology to its product line-up.
SanDisk¡¯s so-called All-Bit-Line (ABL) architecture with proprietary programming algorithms and multi-level data storage management schemes help yield multi-level cell (MLC) NAND flash memory chips that do not sacrifice performance or reliability.
In a statement, Yoram Cedar, executive vice president and chief technology officer of SanDisk, said: ¡°Products based on this technology are designed to enable new applications, form factors and consumer experience that will continue to drive the flash industry to new heights.¡±
For some time, the duo of Toshiba and SanDisk were the process technology leaders in the market. The two companies are ramping up a 24-nm NAND line. Hynix Semiconductor Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. are also separately ramping up 2x-nm-class devices.
Then, last week, Intel and Micron grabbed the lead. The companies introduced a new 20-nm process technology for manufacturing NAND flash memory. Manufactured by IM Flash Technologies LLC (IMFT), Intel and Micron¡¯s NAND flash joint venture, the new 20-nm process produces an 8-gigabyte (GB) multi-level cell (MLC) NAND flash device. The device had been expected.
Now, SanDisk and Toshiba trumped the Intel-Micron duo. ¡°We are excited to introduce the world¡¯s smallest and lowest-cost NAND flash chips based on industry-leading 19-nm process technology in our ongoing collaboration with our manufacturing partner Toshiba,¡± said Cedar.
On the down side, however, Toshiba has told customers it will have to halve its output of NAND flash memory ICs in May and June because of a shortage of blank wafers and other materials, according to a Digitimes report that referenced unnamed industry sources.
By: DocMemory
Copyright © 2023 CST, Inc. All Rights Reserved
|
|
|
|
