Kioxia and Western Digital have announced their latest collaborative project, the 8th Generation BiCS 3D NAND memory device. This new technology includes 218 active layers and a remarkable interface speed of 3200 MT/s, which will enable developers to design high-performance storage systems for various industries. The two companies utilized the concept of Xtacking from YMTC to achieve a 3200 MT/s I/O and create the fastest client SSDs by using fewer 3D NAND chips.
Digital have released a new device in their BiCS 3D TLC NAND line, which marks the beginning of the 8th Generation. This device has a capacity of 1 terabyte (128 gigabytes) and is built with a four-plane architecture to increase internal parallelism, resulting in improved performance. Additionally, it boasts an interface speed of 3200 MT/s, allowing for a top sequential read/write speed of 400 megabytes per second. Digital is the first company in the world to introduce a flash memory IC with a 3200 MT/s I/O utilizing 3D NAND technology, surpassing competitors by 33%.
Although the accomplishment of constructing the swiftest 3D NAND memory gadget globally is impressive, what is fascinating is the method used by Kioxia and Western Digital to accomplish this feat. Their 8th Generation BiCS 3D NAND memory technology comprises a unique structure known as CBA (CMOS directly Bonded to Array). This is similar to YMTC's acknowledged Xtacking.
Typically, a 3D NAND cell array sits next to or on top of its peripheral circuitry, such as page buffers, sense amplifiers, charge pumps, and I/Os. At the same time, from the perspective of semiconductor manufacturing, it is not entirely efficient to use the same manufacturing technology to manufacture memory and peripheral logic. this The CBA and Xtacking designs utilize advanced production techniques to create a 3D NAND cell array and I/O CMOS on separate wafers. This approach maximizes the memory array's bit density and enhances I/O performance.
Kioxia and Western Digital have announced that their latest 3D NAND IC has not only the fastest I/O in the industry, but also the highest bit density, though they did not provide specific details on this. The 8th Generation BiCS 3D TLC NAND they introduced is particularly noteworthy. This device has the ability to function in either 3D TLC or 3D QLC modes, meaning it could potentially serve a range of uses, from premium client and enterprise SSDs with high performance and capacity, to low-cost but fast drives for client PCs or high-density datacenter storage.
the production of flash memory devices to reach a high-volume stage, it is difficult to predict when Kioxia will start mass-producing its 8th Generation BiCS 3D NAND memory. Nonetheless, the company has initiated the distribution of its new technology by providing product samples to selected customers. Flash memory and SSD controller manufacturers typically coordinate with NAND producers to pair their products together. These producers typically announce new memory types well in advance of mass production. Therefore, it is possible to anticipate the release of 8th generation BiCS 3D NAND sometime around 2024, although this is only speculative.
"Through our unique engineering partnership, we have successfully launched the eighth-generation BiCS flash memory with the highest bit density in the industry," said Masaki Momodomi, Chief Technology Officer of Kioxia Corporation. I am very pleased with Kioxia's sample shipments to limited customers We have made progress by using CBA technology and expanding our innovations, resulting in a wider range of 3D flash memory technologies that can be utilized in data-focused areas such as smartphones, IoT devices, and data centers.