On December 6, 2011 Intel and Micron announced that they have started mass production of the world’s first 20 nm, 128 Gb, multi-level cell flash memory storage device. This technology will enable a terabit (Tb) of data storage in a small package using just 8 semiconductor die (this is 128 GB since there are 8 bits per byte). 128 GB capacity may be a common capacity node for the next generation of flash memory based products. The companies are also producing a single level cell 64 Gb (8 GB) NAND flash memory.
The 20 nm products were developed by Intel and Micron’s joint-development venture, IM Flash Technologies (IMFT). The joint venture used a new cell structure (called a planar cell) that enabled more aggressive cell scaling than conventional architectures. The planar cell structure integrated a Hi-K (high capacitance) metal gate stack into the NAND production to allow for smaller floating gates and thus higher storage capacity.
The 128 Gb storage device utilizes the ONFI 3.0 specification to deliver high speed performance. This technology is geared towards utilization by smart phones, tablets and high capacity solid state drives. The companies expect a rapid transition in their product mix to 128 Gb devices in 2012. As a result of this ramp consumer, computer and enterprise products using this storage technology should start to appear by the second half of 2012.
The increase in flash memory storage capacity fills a need in every facet of the storage industry for fast rugged lower cost storage to meet the needs of multiple markets. Thin client (lower storage capacity and processing power) products such as smart phones and tablets would greatly benefit from the larger storage capacity that 20 nm NAND flash will provide. In addition, the data delivery systems (in the internet cloud) that serve the thin client model would also benefit with a tier of fast flash memory for rapid playout of content to the thin clients.
Computer architectures will benefit from the use of more flash memory. Laptop computers with only flash memory will allow higher storage capacity for a lower price making them more affordable. Perhaps the biggest gain may be in dual storage computers where a flash memory device is used for storing operating systems, software and frequently accessed content (and maybe even for write caching) while a hard disk drive provides much less expensive mass storage of user data. Such a dual storage system combines the advantages of higher speed flash memory with lower storage cost hard disk drives. See the Coughlin Associates and Objective Analysis Report: HDDs and Flash Memory: A Marriage of Convenience, www.tomcoughlin.com/techpapers.
Seagate Technology recently announced a higher flash capacity hybrid drive with twice the flash storage capacity inside the HDD compared to their prior generation product. This too has been enabled by lower price flash memory (although not a 20 nm flash memory product). The net result of lower cost flash memory will be its incorporation alone or in combination with other storage technologies in more and more electronic systems.
You can have a chance to hear more about this and other flash memory devices, as well as dual storage technology at the 2012 Storage Visions Conference January 8 & 9, 2012 in Las Vegas (www.storagevisions.com). This annual conference focuses on digital storage and digital content and the 2012 conference theme is “Heavy Storage for Thin Clients.” The Storage Visions Conference is put on by Coughlin Associates.
