China's Yangtze Memory Technologies (YMTC) has kicked off volume production of 64-layer 256Gb TLC 3D NAND chips, according to indsutry sources.

YMTC's 64-layer 3D NAND technology is based on the company's in-house developed chip architecture dubbed Xtacking.

YMTC has improved gradually its 64-layer 3D NAND process yield rate, the sources indicated. With improvement in the process yields, the company is expected to grow its 64-layer 3D NAND flash output to 100,000-150,000 wafers monthly in 2020, the sources continued.

YMTC is expected to output 100,000 wafers monthly at its factory site in Wuhan, said the sources, adding that the monthly output is likely to climb further to 150,000 units in the future.

YMTC is already engaged in the development of 128-layer 3D NAND process, the sources noted. The company disclosed previously plans to skip the 96-layer generation and move directly to 128 layers.

YMTC plays a key role in China's memory ambitions. State-owned Tsinghua Unigroup, the parent company of YMTC, is also constructing a factory site in Chengdu to house 12-inch fabrication lines for 3D NAND wafers, the sources noted. The new site is expected to come online in 2021-2022, with initial production capacity of 100,000 wafers a month.

Tsinghua Unigroup also plans to expand its factory site in Nanjing with additional capacity designed for the production of 3D NAND flash, the sources said.

YMTC was founded in 2016 by Tsinghua Unigroup, which owns 51% of the company. China's National Semiconductor Industry Investment Fund (known as the Big Fund) and Hubei Local IC Funds are the other shareholders.

By: DocMemory
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