Toshiba is the original developer of NAND-flash, which it invented in 1989, while SanDisk company has carefully collected patents on flash technology. Thus, the technology to create two-bit MLC cells, SanDisk has received from the collaboration with Intel, and technology to produce a three-bit cells TLC (x3) bought in 2008, together with the Israeli company M-Systems. By working with Toshiba, SanDisk do not forget to share development with partners.
Two fresh separate announcements of Tosiba and SanDisk announced the development of second-generation 19-nanometer process technology for the production of NAND MLC. This will be the most dense, according to the developers, 64-Gbit flash memory chips. Mass production of new products promises to begin before the end of May.
Cell size was reduced by 25%, from 19 x 26 x 19 nm to 19.5 nm. The decrease cells area does not lead to deterioration in durability and performance. For the flash memory reduction scale process technology leads to lower erase cycles, while the economy needs to reduce the cost of chips by increasing the number of crystals on the plate. According to the developers, reliability, and speed is not affected. Performance of the new flash memory promises to be the best in the industry - at the rate of 25 MB / s.
Separately, the company reportedly plans to begin production of three-bit flash memory until the end of the third quarter. At first NAND TLC will be used in smartphones and tablets, as less reliable, but later with a three-bit memory cells of partners intend to start production of SSD.
Note In April, Samsung has launched a 128-Gbit NAND MLC-class process technology using 10-nm.