Flashier 3D Memory
Samsung Electronics announced today that it has begun mass producing 256 Gb 3D V-NAND flash memory chips for use in solid state drives (SSDs). These new chips have 48 layers of 3-bit multi-level-cell (MLC) arrays, which is double the density of conventional 128Gb NAND flash chips. These chips are the ideal solution for multi-terabyte SSDs.
“With the introduction of our 3rd generation V-NAND flash memory to the global market, we can now provide the best advanced memory solutions with even higher efficiency based on improved performance, power utilization and manufacturing productivity, thereby accelerating growth of the high-performance and the high-density SSD markets,” said Jun Young-hyun, president of the memory business at Samsung Electronics.
Samsung introduced its 2nd generation V-NAND (32-layer 3-bit MLC V-NAND) chips in August 2014, just one year ago. It continues to push out new versions of these chips, hoping to maintain control over the memory market.
In the new V-NAND chip, each cell utilizes the same 3D Charge Trap Flash (CTF) structure in which the cell arrays are stacked vertically to form a 48-storied structure that is electrically connected through some 1.8 billion channel holes punching through the arrays thanks to a special etching technology. In total, each chip contains over 85.3 billion cells. Each cell can store 3 bits of data, resulting in 256 billion bits of data. In other words, there is 256Gb on a chip no larger than a fingertip. It also consumes 30 percent less power compared to last year's chip. The process to create the chips is also 40 percent more productive than last year as well using mostly existing equipment, since the company has had some practice in making them.