YMTC Develops 128 and 232-Layer Xtacking 4.0 NAND Memory Chips

[AleksandarK]

Chinese memory maker Yangtze Memory Technology Corp (YMTC) is allegedly preparing its next-generation Xtacking 4.0 3D NAND flash architecture for next-generation memory chips. According to the documentation obtained by Tom's Hardware, YMTC has developed two SKUs based on the upgraded Xtacking 4.0: X4-9060, a 128-layer three-bit-per-cell (TLC) 3D NAND, and the X4-9070, a 232-layer TLC 3D NAND. By using string stacking on both of these SKUs, YMTC plans to make the 3D NAND work by incorporating arrays with 64 and 116 active layers stacked on top of each other. This way, the export regulation rules from the US government are met, and the company can use the tools that are not under the sanction list.

While YMTC has yet to fully disclose the specific advantages of the Xtacking 4.0 technology, the industry anticipates significant enhancements in data transfer speeds and storage density. These improvements are expected to stem from increased plane counts for optimized parallel processing, refined bit/word line configurations to minimize latency, and the development of modified chip variants to boost production yields. When YMTC announced Xtacking 3.0, the company offered 128-layer TLC and 232-layer four-bit-per-cell (QLC) variants and was the first company to achieve 200+ layer count in the 3D NAND space. The Xtacking 3.0 architecture incorporates string stacking and hybrid bonding techniques and uses a mature process node for the chip's CMOS underlayer. We have to wait for the final Xtacking 4.0 details when YMTC's officially launches the SKUs.



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[JAB Creations]

The only thing I care about is the capacity, transfer and wear rates; everything else is fluff.

 

[AnarchoPrimitiv]

I would like to see YMTC, or some other company other than SK Hynix, Samsung, or Micron, develop a competitor/clone/"patent evading ripoff" of 3DXpoint/Optane memory that can keep the cost down and give it another shot. I just bought a 118GB Optane drive the other day and I plan on using it as an OS drive or a cache, but it made me think how nice it'd be if there was a cheaper competitor to optane, basically something that could improve on low queue depth random reads and writes and latency which is where performance has basically stagnated on NVMe drives since PCIe 3.0.

I know there are enterprise drives out there that are purely SLC NAND and they do outperform typical TLC drives all things being equal, but they still far away from the performance of optane. That being said, I still think it'd be cool if they offered 250GB all SLC drives for consumers to use as an OS drive.

 

[evernessince]

YMTC doesn't develop, they steal. Their 232 layer processes was directly ripped from Micron.

 

[R-T-B]

The only thing I care about is the capacity, transfer and wear rates; everything else is fluff.

Good, because that's exactly what more layers improves.

 

[A&P211]

The only thing I care about is the capacity, transfer and wear rates; everything else is fluff.

I mostly care about capacity, and some wear rates. I dont much are about transfer rates, higher transfer rates equals more heat.

 

[kiakk]

The only thing I care about is the capacity, transfer and wear rates; everything else is fluff.

I dont think so you will notice any huge difference from other manufacturer.
I would care about possible future sanctions and protectionist economy politics that will give a huge TAX on cheap chinese NAND/SSD and we costumers lose the race while every other "western manufacturer" plan to raising the prices....

 

[bencrutz]

YMTC doesn't develop, they steal. Their 232 layer processes was directly ripped from Micron.

what are you smoking? ripped from micron? nope they took separate ways in stacking NAND, with separate control logic and NAND dies bonded with metal pads it would be more like kioxia / WD (but unlike YMTC, kioxia only up to 218 layers), YMTC currently the first to reach over 15Gb/mm2 bit density at 232/238 layer class beating sk hynix & micron at second & third place. I believe YMTC also the first to market at 232 layer NAND last year, though still using older xtacking 3.0 - releasing it without any fanfare.

 

[evernessince]

what are you smoking? ripped from micron? nope they took separate ways in stacking NAND, with separate control logic and NAND dies bonded with metal pads it would be more like kioxia / WD (but unlike YMTC, kioxia only up to 218 layers), YMTC currently the first to reach over 15Gb/mm2 bit density at 232/238 layer class beating sk hynix & micron at second & third place. I believe YMTC also the first to market at 232 layer NAND last year, though still using older xtacking 3.0 - releasing it without any fanfare.

YTMC was only founded in 2016. You are essentially saying they R&D'd industry leading NAND technology as a company starting from scratch in an extra-ordinarily short period of time and just so happened to end with the same layer count as Micron when every other competitor has different layer count NAND releasing. Please, Intel is still having problems cracking into the GPU market and that's considering they have GPU experience, massive amounts of cash, and own their own foundry. The time and money investment to jump into a mature chip market is enourmous. YTMC also happens to be Chinese state sponsored and was/is funded largely by the Chinese government.

What's illgocial is not balking at the fact that a new company can just walk into the market and magically start beating companies with hundreds of billions of dollars in R&D and decades of experience. Chip manufactuering isn't one of the industries where small players or startups can hit the ground running like in shoe manufacturing, you need to build up experience and IP in order to develop the latest chips and that takes talent, time, and money.

 

[bencrutz]

YTMC was only founded in 2016. You are essentially saying they R&D'd industry leading NAND technology as a company starting from scratch in an extra-ordinarily short period of time and just so happened to end with the same layer count as Micron when every other competitor has different layer count NAND releasing. Please, Intel is still having problems cracking into the GPU market and that's considering they have GPU experience, massive amounts of cash, and own their own foundry. The time and money investment to jump into a mature chip market is enourmous. YTMC also happens to be Chinese state sponsored and was/is funded largely by the Chinese government.

What's illgocial is not balking at the fact that a new company can just walk into the market and magically start beating companies with hundreds of billions of dollars in R&D and decades of experience. Chip manufactuering isn't one of the industries where small players or startups can hit the ground running like in shoe manufacturing, you need to build up experience and IP in order to develop the latest chips and that takes talent, time, and money.

just provide proof or indication that YMTC ripped it from micron, otherwise you're spitting out nonsense and provide nothing to the discussion