Micron Technology, Inc. today introduced a portfolio of high-capacity flash memory products that will lengthen the life of NAND for years to come. By integrating the error management techniques in the same NAND package, the new Micron ClearNAND devices alleviate the challenges traditionally found in NAND process shrinks. Micron's ClearNAND portfolio extends the opportunities for more advanced NAND process generations to be used in enterprise servers, tablet PCs, portable media players, and dozens of other consumer applications.

"The pace of NAND scaling is largely responsible for the incredible growth and success the industry has seen to date, and for helping to create new flash-based storage solutions," said Glen Hawk, vice president of Micron's NAND Solutions Group. "While the advantages in NAND scaling are evident, so are the challenges with the technology becoming increasingly more difficult to manage. Micron's ClearNAND products remove this management burden for our customers and extend the life of this all-important technology."

Lexar Media, a leading global provider of memory products for digital media, today introduced a 1.8" footprint version of the award-winning Crucial RealSSD C300 product line. The 1.8" profile, which is approximately 40% smaller than the standard 2.5" drive, provides an excellent solid-state storage option for the most portable products such as ultra-thin laptops, netbooks, and tablet PCs - without sacrificing performance and capacity. Based upon the Micron RealSSD product design and innovation, the new Crucial RealSSD C300 1.8" drive utilizes (multi-level cell) MLC NAND, advanced controller technology, and optimized NAND management, which together improve boot up and application load times dramatically and enhance overall system performance. No moving parts provides for quieter, cooler, and more durable solutions compared to traditional hard disk drives.

Intel Corporation and Micron Technology Inc. today announced the delivery of 3-bit-per-cell (3bpc) NAND flash memory on 25-nanometer (nm) process technology, producing the industry's highest capacity, smallest NAND device. The companies have sent initial product samples to select customers. Intel and Micron expect to be in full production by the end of the year.

The new 64-gigabit (Gb) 3bpc on 25nm memory device offers improved cost efficiencies and higher storage capacity for the competitive USB, SD (Secure Digital) flash card and consumer electronics markets. Flash memory is primarily used to store data, photos and other multimedia for use in capturing and transferring data between computing and digital devices such as digital cameras, portable media players, digital camcorders and all types of personal computers. These markets are under constant pressure to provide higher capacities at low prices.

Intel is planning a series of four solid state drives (SSDs) in Q4 2010, that makes use of the latest IMFlash Technologies 25 nm NAND flash memory chips, under a possible "G3" (third generation) brand identifier, and sold complete under the Intel X25-M, and X18-M (mainstream) and X25-V (value) brands. The four drives will continue to carry the company internal codename "Postville", and mostly the same exact feature set as the 34 nm Postville SSDs, except for the new 25 nm NAND chips, native data encryption, SMART, and higher performance.

Under the 2.5" form-factor X25-M series, there are 600 GB, 300 GB, and 160 GB models on the roadmap, while an X25-V 2.5" value SSD featuring the 25 nm flash chips includes an 80 GB model in Q4. Later in Q1 2011, Intel will add new enterprise X25-E "Lydonville" models based on the new chips, as well as introduce 25 nm based 300 GB and 160 GB 1.8" mainstream X18-M SSDs, and a 40 GB X25-M model. The introduction of these new SSDs follows the February 2010 announcement of the 25 nm NAND flash memory chips by IMFlash Technologies. IMFlash is a joint venture between Intel and Micron Technology.

Micron Technology, Inc., today introduced the RealSSD P300 solid-state drive (SSD), bringing faster system performance and improved data integrity to enterprise environments. The RealSSD P300 drive features the SATA 6-gigabits per second (Gbps) interface, a first for the enterprise SSD market. The new P300 SSD delivers extraordinarily high steady-state input/output operations per second (IOPS), up to 44,000 reads and 16,000 writes--more than 15 times the write performance of competing SATA-based SSDs.

"The RealSSD P300 SSD is the fastest SATA-based drive on the market," said Dean Klein, Micron vice president of Memory System Development. "The RealSSD P300 is able to do the work of multiple hard drives--outperforming a RAID of 12 hard drives in some cases."

Micron Technology, Inc., today announced a new 2-gigabit (Gb) 50-nanometer (nm) DDR2 memory device to support the upcoming Intel Atom platform for tablet and netbook personal computers, codenamed "Oak Trail." The small form factor, high-density and low-power consumption of the 2Gb 50nm DDR2 makes it an ideal memory solution for the tablet PC market where size and battery life are key features.

The transition of Micron's 2Gb DDR2 product to the more advanced 50nm process node demonstrates the company's continued commitment and ongoing investment in technologies that meet market demand. In addition to the increase in density from 1Gb to 2Gb-based components, the move to the 50nm process inherently provides improved power savings and a smaller memory footprint.

JEDEC Solid State Technology Association, the global leader in standards development for the microelectronics industry, today announced the publication of JEDEC DDR3L, a widely anticipated addendum to its JESD79-3 DDR3 Memory Device Standard. Continuing the evolution of DDR3 as the dominant DRAM standard today, DDR3L will enable a significant reduction in power consumption for a broad range of products that utilize memory; including laptops, desktops, servers, networking systems and a wide array of consumer electronics products. The updated version of JESD79-3, including the DDR3L addendum, is available for free download here.

Called DDR3L for DDR3 Low Voltage, devices adhering to the new standard will operate from a single 1.35V power supply voltage compared to 1.5V in existing devices. Under the new standard, DDR3L memory devices will be functionally compatible to DDR3 memory devices, but not all devices will be interoperable at both voltage ranges.

Mach Xtreme Technology Inc., a worldwide leader in top performance, high reliability and user-friendly designed PC components, today unveiled MX JET PRO Series 2.5" SSD which makes MLC (multi-level cell) NAND-based storage an affordable offering for mainstream users demanding the latest technology and top performance. Based on JMicron JMF616 controller, MX JET PRO Series delivers blazing fast, smooth and stutter free performance.

The new MX JET PRO Series of SSDs is the latest addition to the Mach Xtreme lineup of solid state drives. MX Technology has worked very closely with JMicron on this series to get most out of this new sophisticated controller. As a result, MX Technology releases the best-in-class drive. MX JET PRO is based on the advanced JMF616 controller coupled with 128MB onboard cache and the latest firmware to ensure top performance while maintaining an attractive price point that is truly within the reach of a wide range of DIY users.

Lexar Media, a leading global provider of memory products for digital media, today introduced a 64GB addition to the award-winning Crucial RealSSD C300 product line. The new 64GB RealSSD C300 drive, like its predecessors, natively supports SATA 6Gb/s, is backwards compatible with the SATA 3Gb/s interface, and provides scorching-fast read speeds of up to 355 MB/s and write speeds up to 75 MB/s. Competitively priced at US$149.99, the new 64GB C300 drive is available in a standard 2.5-inch form factor, and comes with a limited three-year warranty.

"The 64GB C300 drive is a natural extension of our award-winning Crucial RealSSD C300 product line. This aggressively priced 64GB C300 drive makes SSD technology more affordable than ever, delivers durability for mobile computing, and makes it a compelling boot drive for desktop PCs," said Robert Wheadon, Lexar Media senior worldwide SSD product manager.

As many as nine major chip vendors were fined a total of 331 million Euros (US $404.2 million) for participating in illegal price-fixing activities, by the European Union authorities. These include Samsung, Hynix, Nanya, Elpida, Infineon, NEC, Toshiba, Hitachi, and Mitsubishi. A 10th company in this price-fixing cartel was Micron Technology, which escaped the fine for exposing the malpractice to the EU authorities. Of these Samsung was given the single biggest fine of 146 million Euros, followed by Infineon at 57 million Euros. The fines were reduced by 10% because all companies extended cooperation in the investigations.

The price-fixing cartel mostly involved bad trade of DRAM chips, and was active between 1998 and 2002, operating with a network of contacts which secretly exchanged pricing information. They colluded to fix prices of DRAM chips sold to major PC and server manufacturers. Investigations in the scam began in 2002 when Micron blew the whistle on the cartel. "By acknowledging their participation in a cartel the companies have allowed the Commission to bring this long-running investigation to a close and to free up resources to investigate other suspected cartels," said EU's Competition Commissioner, Joaquin Almunia. "As the procedure is applied to new cases it is expected to speed up investigations significantly," he added.

Micron Technology, Inc., (Nasdaq:MU) today announced results of operations for its second quarter of fiscal 2010, which ended March 4, 2010. For the second quarter of fiscal 2010, the company had net income attributable to Micron shareholders of $365 million, or $0.39 per diluted share, on net sales of just under $2 billion. These results compare to net income of $204 million, or $0.23 per diluted share, on net sales of $1.74 billion for the first quarter of fiscal 2010 and a net loss of $763 million, or $0.99 per diluted share, on net sales of $1.0 billion for the second quarter of fiscal 2009. Amounts and presentations for periods prior to fiscal 2010 have been recast for the effects of the adoption of new accounting standards for convertible debt and non-controlling interests.

"Micron positioned itself well during the recession. The company's results are starting to reflect the combination of an improving market, strong operational performance, advanced technology and a broad product portfolio," said Steve Appleton, Micron Chairman and CEO.

Micron Technology, Inc., and Numonyx Holdings B.V. announced today that the companies have signed a definitive agreement under which Micron has agreed to acquire privately held Numonyx in an all-stock transaction valuing Numonyx at approximately $1.27 billion USD.

Under the terms of the agreement, Micron will issue 140 million Micron common shares to Numonyx shareholders, Intel Corporation, STMicroelectronics, N.V. and Francisco Partners. Up to 10 million additional Micron common shares will be issued ratably to Numonyx shareholders to the extent the volume weighted average price of Micron shares for the 20 trading days, ending two days prior to the close of the transaction, ranges between $7.00 and $9.00 per share.

Intel Corporation and Micron Technology, Inc. today announced the world's first 25-nanometer (nm) NAND technology, which provides a more cost-effective path for increasing storage capacity in such popular consumer gadgets as smartphones, personal music and media players (PMPs), as well as the new high-performance class of solid-state drives (SSDs).

NAND flash memory stores data and other media contained in consumer electronics products, retaining information even when the power is turned off. The drive toward smaller NAND processes enables the continued development and introduction of new uses for the technology. Not only is the 25nm process the smallest NAND technology, it is also the smallest semiconductor technology in the world - a technological accomplishment that continues the advancement of more music, video, and other data in today's consumer electronics and computing applications.

Micron Technology, Inc. has raised the performance bar for SSDs. The company today announced its RealSSD C300 SSD, the industry's fastest for notebook and desktop PCs. Micron's new RealSSD C300 drive enables users to enjoy a more powerful and responsive computing experience including faster operating system (OS) boot and hibernate times, and speedier application load, data transfer and file copying.

"The C300 SSD not only delivers on all the inherent advantages of SSDs - improved reliability and lower power use - but also leverages a finely tuned architecture and high-speed ONFI 2.1 NAND to provide a whole new level of performance," said Dean Klein, vice president of memory system development at Micron.

When designing solid-state storage for enterprise applications, standard SLC NAND has been the technology of choice because of its reliability and endurance. But customers are often challenged on how to cost-effectively reach their capacity requirements. Micron Technology, Inc. is meeting customers' requirements by announcing today that it has leveraged its award-winning 34nm NAND process to manufacture an MLC Enterprise NAND device, which provides enterprise organizations a way to cost-effectively and reliably double their flash-based enterprise storage capacity (since MLC provides twice the capacity in the same die size as SLC). Micron's new MLC Enterprise NAND device achieves 30,000 write cycles - a 6x increase in endurance when compared to standard MLC NAND. And for enterprise applications that are more performance driven, Micron today also introduced a 34nm SLC Enterprise NAND device that achieves 300,000 write cycles - a 3x increase in endurance when compared to standard SLC NAND.

Additionally, leveraging the full performance capability of NAND, Micron's newest Enterprise NAND products also support the ONFI 2.1synchronous interface, delivering a 4- to 5x improvement in data transfer rates when compared to legacy NAND interfaces. Micron's 34nm Enterprise NAND portfolio includes a 32Gb MLC NAND chip and a 16Gb SLC NAND chip that can be configured into multi-die, single packages supporting densities up to 32GB MLC and 16GB SLC, respectively. Micron is now sampling its Enterprise NAND products with customers and controller manufacturers, and is expected to be in volume production in early 2010. For further explanation on Micron's Enterprise NAND products, visit Micron's Innovations blog to catch a video that describes how Micron leveraged its mature 34nm NAND process to achieve these levels of reliability.

Intel Corporation and Micron Technology Inc. today announced the development of a new 3-bit-per-cell (3bpc) multi-level cell (MLC) NAND technology, leveraging their award-winning 34-nanometer (nm) NAND process. The chips are typically used in consumer storage devices such as flash cards and USB drives, where high density and cost-efficiency are paramount.

Designed and manufactured by IM Flash Technologies (IMFT), their NAND flash joint venture, the new 3bpc NAND technology produces the industry's smallest and most cost-effective 32-gigabit (Gb) chip that is currently available on the market. The 32Gb 3bpc NAND chip is 126 sq.mm. Micron is currently sampling and will be in mass production in the fourth quarter 2009. With the companies' continuing to focus on the next process shrink, 3bpc NAND technology is an important piece of their product strategy and is an effective approach in serving key market segments.

Micron Technology, Inc. today announced that it has produced the industry's first DDR3 load-reduced, dual-inline memory module (LRDIMM) and will begin sampling 16-gigabyte (GB) versions this fall. By reducing load on the server memory bus, Micron's LRDIMMs provide the option to support higher data frequencies and significantly increase memory capacity.

The new LRDIMMs will be manufactured using Micron's leading-edge 1.35-volt, 2-gigabit (Gb) 50-nanometer DDR3 memory chips, allowing the company to easily and cost-effectively increase server module capacity because of the chips' high-density and industry-leading small die size. Micron's 2Gb 50nm DDR3 product is currently in qualification with customers and is ramping toward high volume production.

IDT (Integrated Device Technology,) a leading provider of essential mixed signal semiconductor solutions that enrich the digital media experience and Micron Technology, Inc., one of the world's leading providers of advanced semiconductor solutions, today announced they have entered into an alliance to develop PCI Express Solid-State Drive (SSD) technologies for the server, storage and embedded markets.

As part of this alliance, IDT and Micron will co-develop enterprise flash controllers with a PCIe host interface optimized for Micron's flash devices and future generation RealSSD solid-state drives. Combining Micron's extensive experience in flash design and SSD development with IDT's proficiency in PCIe solutions and memory interface products will enable devices to achieve lower latency, greater performance and new levels of storage integration.

Micron Technology today announced mass production of new NAND flash memory products using its award-winning 34-nanometer (nm) process technology. As consumers demand increased capacity to store more music, videos, photos, and applications in ever smaller portable electronic devices, manufacturers need a storage solution that delivers on capacity, performance, and size. Micron's new 16- and 32-gigabit (Gb) NAND chips pair large capacity with performance, providing a compelling solution for today's demanding portable storage requirements that are tailored to end-customer product dimensions.
The newly architected 32Gb multi-level cell (MLC) NAND chip is 17 percent smaller than Micron's first-generation 32Gb chip. The 16Gb MLC NAND chip, at just 84mm², provides high-capacity in an ultra tiny package. Micron is also now sampling 8- and 16Gb single-level cell (SLC) NAND chips using the 34nm process.

Micron Technology, today introduced a new microdisplay panel, leveraging technology it recently acquired from Displaytech. The introduction of the new microdisplay panel is part of Micron's broader strategy of delivering differentiated products that leverage its expertise in semiconductor research and design.
The new panel Micron announced is a wide-screen quarter VGA (WQVGA) microdisplay solution designed to enable portable video and image projection for applications including head-mounted display products and embedded cell phone projectors. At the heart of the new WQVGA panel is ferroelectric liquid crystal on silicon (FLCOS) technology, which delivers superior image quality and color fidelity when compared to competing microdisplay technologies - all in a single, tiny package with minimal power requirements.

The current No. 3 global memory maker Micron Technology is said to enter the graphics memory business, fighting against Samsung and Hynix. Micron will make the chips mainly for NVIDIA and ATI video cards.
"Our upcoming 50-nanometer technology is very competitive when it comes to power consumption and performance," Robert Feurle, Micron's VP of DRAM marketing said. "I think it's a good point in time to begin discussions with big enablers NVIDIA and AMD and get started with some design-ins," Feurle said. "No decision has been made yet but we're looking into that very seriously," he added.
Plans are to start production of GDDR3 memory with speeds of 1600 MHz and up. After that a possible transition to GDDR5 manufacturing will be made. Unfortunately, that's all there is to know for now, Micron is mum on all other details.

Micron Technology, today announced that its suite of DDR3 server memory modules are validated with Intel's next-generation Intel Xeon processor chips. Micron's validated 1, 2, 4 and 8-gigabyte (GB) DDR3 modules are performance-driven, delivering speeds of 1066 megabits per second (Mb/s) and 1333 Mb/s, greatly increasing server throughput. Additionally, Lexar Media, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Micron, has validated its corresponding Crucial-branded modules, leveraging Micron's award-winning DDR3 memory.

Micron Technology, today announced its high-density portfolio of block abstracted (BA) NAND flash memory for use in personal media players and other applications. Utilizing Micron's industry-leading 34nm process technology, BA NAND is a single-package solution-combining MLC NAND with a memory controller that eliminates the need for controllers/systems to undergo arduous re-designs in order to adopt successive generations of NAND.
Currently, most NAND flash memory host controllers are tasked with managing critical NAND functions such as block management and wear-leveling algorithms, and providing adequate error correction code (ECC) coverage to assure system reliability. However, because these features are becoming more advanced with every generation of NAND, designers are required to keep up with the latest innovations in order for their chipsets to properly manage NAND and assure reliable system operation.

Deteriorating economic conditions and decreased demand for 200 millimeter (mm) specialty DRAM products have created additional challenges for Micron Technology, Inc.'s Boise manufacturing operations. As a result, Micron announced today that it will phase out 200mm wafer manufacturing operations at the company's Boise facility. This action will reduce employment at Micron's Idaho sites by approximately 500 employees in the near term and as many as 2,000 positions by the end of the company's fiscal year. The company has sufficient manufacturing capacity remaining and does not expect any disruption in product supply required for customer needs.

Micron Technology and Nanya Technology Corporation, today announced that they have jointly developed low-power DDR2 (LPDDR2) DRAM technology for mobile and consumer applications with initial die densities up to 1Gb. Developed through the companies' DRAM joint development program (JDP), the LPDDR2 is designed to operate at 1.2-volts, providing as much as a 50-percent power reduction when compared to LPDDR1.
"LPDDR2 DRAM is important for the design of today's mobile applications, prolonging a device's battery life with its low-power consumption and improvement of overall system performance compared to low-power DDR1," said John Schreck, vice president of DRAM design at Micron. "Development of this high-performing LPDDR2 is credit to the swift progress in technology design that we have achieved through our JDP with Nanya. We look forward to growing our relationship with Nanya, continuing to bring industry-leading DRAM design to our customer base."