Samsung Mass Producing 10 nm Class High-Performance 128-Gbit 3-bit MLC NAND Flash

[btarunr]

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., the world leader in advanced memory technology, announced today that it has begun mass producing a 128-gigabit (Gb), 3-bit multi-level-cell (MLC) NAND memory chip using 10 nanometer (nm)-class process technology this month. The highly advanced chip will enable high-density memory solutions such as embedded NAND storage and solid state drives (SSDs).

"By introducing next-generation memory storage products like the 128Gb NAND chip, Samsung is extremely well situated to meet growing global customer needs," said Young-Hyun Jun, executive vice president, memory sales & marketing, Device Solutions Division, Samsung Electronics. "The new chip is a critical product in the evolution of NAND flash, one whose timely production will enable us to increase our competitiveness in the high density memory storage market."

Samsung's 128Gb NAND flash is based on a 3-bit multi-level-cell design and 10nm-class process technology. It boasts the industry's highest density as well as the highest performance level of 400 Mbps data transfer rate based on the toggle DDR2 interface.

Utilizing 128Gb NAND flash memory, Samsung will expand its supply of 128-gigabyte (GB) memory cards, which can store as many as sixteen 8GB full HD video files. Samsung now will also increase its production volume of SSDs with densities over 500GBs for wider adoption of SSDs in computer systems, while leading the transition of main storage drives in the notebook market from hard disk drives (HDDs) to SSDs.

Demand for high-performance 3-bit MLC NAND flash and 128Gb high storage capacities has been rapidly increasing, driving the adoption of SSDs with more than 250GB data storage, led by the Samsung SSD 840 Series.

Samsung started production of 10 nm-class 64 Gb MLC NAND flash memory in November last year, and in less than five months, has added the new 128Gb NAND flash to its wide range of high-density memory storage offerings. The new 128 Gb chip also extends Samsung's 3-bit NAND memory line-up along with the 20 nm-class 64 Gb 3-bit NAND flash chip that Samsung introduced in 2010. Further, the new 128Gb 3-bit MLC NAND chip offers more than twice the productivity of a 20 nm-class 64 Gb MLC NAND chip.

Samsung plans to keep introducing leading-edge SSDs and embedded memory storage solutions with high-quality features, in accelerating the growth of the premium memory market.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[m1dg3t]

Awesome! Bring on the large capacity SSDs

 

[Prima.Vera]

10nm ?? Damn. AMD must be "WTF?!? This can be right..." right now, hehe.

 

[Roadrunner]

10nm wtf?

Omg that's crazy! I thought only processor makers are so far with their ultrasmall lithography development but apparently Samsung is too. And that is awesome! Looking forward to my cheap 1TB SSD.

 

[wickerman]

If Micron's 128Gbit MLC NAND is what allowed Crucial/Micron to release that 960gb SSD at $600, I would love to see Samsung create an 840 series to compete on price and capacity. Right now Samsung's TLC-based 500GB 840 (non-pro) is $380 on newegg, presumably Samsung could match or undercut the M500 if they decided to actually introduce an 840 in this capacity.

 

[Homer_liu]

machine

Maybe the machine used for the 10nm-class is from China. Now China has ability to produce this kind of machine used in this level instead of EUV method.

 

[NeoXF]

1TB SSDs @ <500 $ PLZZZ...

10nm ?? Damn. AMD must be "WTF?!? This can be right..." right now, hehe.

How are these related!?

 

[Prima.Vera]

How are these related!?

Was an article a couple of days ago, where AMD was complaining about Moore's law that cannot be applied anymore because the miniaturization process is almost at the minimum, and it was understandable that they won't be able to use process lower than 14nm for years to come.
And now Samsung is already on track with 10nm, hehe..

 

[Solidstate89]

If it's 3-bit NAND, isn't it TLC and not MLC?

 

[agent00skid]

MLC is short for Multi-Level Cell, so TLC is a MLC.

 

[MxPhenom 216]

The lower we get in NAND nm's the less reliable SSDs are going to get.........

 

[SaltyFish]

Our portable porn stashes can now get bigger! Now if only we can get some love for SLC...

 

[LAN_deRf_HA]

Do they mean 10nm, or do they mean anything with a one in front of it? Like 19nm... I seem to recall something like that being the case in a prior press release.

 

[wickerman]

The lower we get in NAND nm's the less reliable SSDs are going to get.........

True, but the algorithms that control wear leveling are getting better with every generation. Plus all the real world usage data that can be analyzed based on many generations of revision and new controllers will certainly help to make things more reliable. And you also have more powerful controllers, smarter cache, and technology such as Sandforce' compression engine that can keep write amplification down.

So I think the balancing act is keeping things moving along in a good pace. Plus, TLC NAND is being put in the cheaper SSDs (like Samsung's 840 non pro) which are expected to be put in systems that see lighter usage. A lot of people will be installing windows, a collection of apps, and games and then do little else than consume their media. Those among us who expect to see a lot of heavy usage are more likely to buy the higher end models that are using standard 2-bit per cell MLC and perhaps more capable controllers/firmware.

Plus, SSDs are advancing at such a pace the enthusiast are likely to replace their current SSDs with faster/larger SSDs long before the ones we have today actually wear out.

 

[jagd]

I guess they mean 10nm ,there is another Press release from samsung 22 september 2011 http://www.techpowerup.com/152464/S...tion-of-Industry-s-First-20nm-Class-DDR3.html announcing 20nm memory production.

Do they mean 10nm, or do they mean anything with a one in front of it? Like 19nm... I seem to recall something like that being the case in a prior press release.