Intel and Micron has announced that its joint NAND Flash venture, IM Flash Technologys, has started mass producing 32Gb NAND flash MLC chips at the new 34nm node. With an even finer manufacturing process, IM Flash can both lower costs and increase storage capacity. In turn this will enable Solid State Drive makes to offer drives with higher capacities at hopefully lower prices. The first products sporting these new 34nm memory circuits should appear early next year.
More information can be found in the press release;
Intel, Micron Move into Mass Production with 34nm NAND Flash
SANTA CLARA, Calif. & BOISE, Idaho-- Intel Corporation and Micron Technology Inc. (NYSE:MU) today announced mass production of their jointly developed 34nm, 32 gigabit multi-level cell (MLC) NAND flash memory device. Developed and manufactured by the companies’ NAND flash joint venture, IM Flash Technologies (IMFT), the process technology is the most advanced process available on the market and enables the industry’s only monolithic 32 Gb NAND chip that fits into a standard 48-lead thin small-outline package (TSOP). The companies are ahead of schedule with 34nm NAND production, expecting their Lehi facility to have transitioned more than 50 percent of its capacity to 34nm by year’s end.
“We have made great strides in NAND process capability and are now in a leadership role with 34nm production,” said Brian Shirley, vice president of Micron’s Memory Group. “The tiny 34nm, 32 Gb chip enables our customers to easily increase their NAND storage capacity for a number of consumer and computing products.”
“The results from IMFT continue to exceed our expectations,” said Randy Wilhelm, vice president and general manager, Intel NAND Solutions Group. “With such clear leadership in NAND manufacturing, we are able to offer our customers NAND solutions with great value, performance and low power.”
The 34nm, 32 Gb chips are manufactured on 300 mm wafers. Measuring just 172mm², less than the size of a thumbnail, the 34nm, 32 Gb chip will cost-effectively enable high-density solid-state storage in small form factor applications including digital cameras, personal music players and digital camcorders. Additionally, the chip will enable more cost-effective solid-state drives, dramatically increasing their current storage capacity.
The companies also plan to begin sampling lower density multi-level cell (MLC) and single-level cell (SLC) products using the 34nm process technology in early 2009.
About Intel
Intel (NASDAQ: INTC), the world leader in silicon innovation, develops technologies, products and initiatives to continually advance how people work and live. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom and http://blogs.intel.com. For more details on Intel NAND flash solutions go to www.intel.com/go/ssd.
About Micron
Micron Technology, Inc., is one of the world's leading providers of advanced semiconductor solutions. Through its worldwide operations, Micron manufactures and markets DRAMs, NAND flash memory, CMOS image sensors, other semiconductor components, and memory modules for use in leading-edge computing, consumer, networking, and mobile products. Micron’s common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the MU symbol. To learn more about Micron Technology, Inc., visit www.micron.com.
©2008 Micron Technology, Inc. and Intel Corporation. All rights reserved. Information is subject to change without notice.
Micron and the Micron logo are trademarks of Micron Technology, Inc.
Intel is a trademark of Intel Corporation in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding the production of the 34nm 32 Gb NAND device and the sampling of lower density MLC and single-level cell products using the 34nm process technology. Actual events or results may differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Please refer to the documents Micron files on a consolidated basis from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, specifically Micron's most recent Form 10-K and Form 10-Q. These documents contain and identify important factors that could cause the actual results for Micron on a consolidated basis to differ materially from those contained in our forward-looking statements (see Certain Factors). Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements.
Intel, Micron Move into Mass Production with 34nm NAND Flash
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