Micron and Intel have announced that it has started sampling the new 256Gb MLC 3D NAND flash memory to its partners and plans to start sampling 384Gb TLC 3D NAND later this spring.

The new 3D NAND technology, developed jointly by Intel and Micron, stand layers of cells vertically, creating three times higher capacity compared to planar NAND flash memory. Intel and Micron has decided to use a floating gate cell design which was used and refined with high-volume planar flash manufacturing and by using it with 3D NAND flash memory, enables greater performance and increase in quality and reliability.

The new 3D NAND technology from Micron and Intel actually stacks 32 layers of flash cells to achieve 256Gb MLC and 384Gb TLC die withing standard package. According to Intel and Micron, this will enable gum stick-sized SSDs with more than 3.5TB of storage and 2.5-inch SSDs with over 10TB of storage. Such design should provide increase in both performance and endurance as well as make even the TLC design suitable for data center storage.

The new 3D NAND technology will roughly provide three times the capacity of existing technology, reduced Cost per GB compared to planar NAND, higher performance, lower power use and bring new innovative features that should improve latency and increase endurance compared to previous generation NAND.

As noted, the 256Gb MLC 3D NAND is now sampling to select partners while the 384Gb TLC 3D NAND is expected to start sampling this month. Both should be in full production by the fourth quarter this year, while first SSD solutions based on such designs are expected to be available within the next year.





Source: Micron.com.