Ground-breaking for Wuhan Xinxin Semiconductor Manufacturing's (XMC) new memory fab in China is set to begin at the end of March, according to DRAMeXchange.

"Currently, XMC mainly produces NOR flash at a capacity of 20,000 wafers per month," said DRAMeXchange research director Sean Yang in a statement. "The fab is expected to enter production in early 2018, and the initial production will be for 3D NAND flash products.

commencement of the new fab's construction is an important milestone. While XMC is showing its strong ambition to form its NAND flash business, the Chinese memory industry is signaling that it is entering the next phase of development after two years of groundwork."

XMC is partnering with US-based Spansion to develop 3D NAND flash technology. The 3D-NAND chip co-developed by the two companies went through its electrical test in 2015, and more layers have been added to chip's architecture, DRAMeXchange indicated.

XMC plans to launch its 3D-NAND flash products at the end of 2017 or the beginning of 2018, DRAMeXchange noted. The new XMC memory fab is expected to eventually reach monthly capacity of 200,000 wafers dedicated for the manufacture of 3D NAND chips. However, "the new fab is unlikely to attain the above capacity figure in the short term, and any significant rises in the fab's capacity will probably take place 5~10 years later," DRAMeXchange said.

"The fast-tracked formation of a local NAND Flash chain in China is also attracting the attention of several international memory suppliers, compelling them to increase their strategic investments in the country," Yang continued. "Intel, for instance, is overhauling a fab in the city of Dalian to make memory chips. When the retooled Dalian fab goes into operation in this fourth quarter, its capacity will help boost China's representation in the global production of NAND flash wafers to 8%."

Samsung Electronics is currently the only supplier capable of mass producing 3D NAND flash chips with its sizable share of the global PC-OEM market. Samsung is scheduled to enter commercial production of its third-generation 3D NAND flash memory in the second half of 2016, DRAMeXchange indicated.

Other major NAND flash suppliers have also stepped up development of their 3D NAND flash chips with products for SSD applications expected to roll out in the second half of 2016, DRAMeXchange suggested.

By: DocMemory
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