Intel And Micron Flash Memory Gets Even Smaller

NAND flash chip development has taken its latest step forward. IM Flash Technologies, Intel and Micron Technology’s joint venture, has introduced a 20-nm process for manufacturing even smaller solid-state memory – only four months after it started shipping its ClearNAND 25-nanometer Flash processor.

The new process produces an 8GB, multi-level cell (MLC) NAND flash device, which measures only 118 square mm yet this small-form factor provides a high-capacity storage space.

Board Size Reduced By A Third

The smaller size of the chip may not seem like a major change but it enables a 30 to 40 percent reduction in board space (depending on package type) compared to the companies’ existing 25nm 8GB NAND device, Micron said.

The resultant chip will be used by device and systems manufacturers for the burgeoning market in embedded applications for handheld devices, enterprise-level servers, tablet computers, MP3 players, digital cameras, security cameras and others.

Micron makes NAND Flash for host processors built by its partner semiconductor firms that include Intel, the world’s largest chip maker. With each iteration of its chip, Micron adds more capacity, enabling products and applications to have more functionality.

The NAND flash market has continued to see a significant downward trend in the size of its chips. Boise, Idaho-based Micron, which competes with companies such as Samsung, WD, SanDisk, Toshiba, Seagate and others, has taken the die size down to 20nm from 72nm and above from about three years ago.

Eventually, all nanotechnology has to face its limits, and Micron, Intel and Toshiba have said that NAND flash processing will be approaching that wall in about five years.