SANDISK SHIPS WORLD’S FIRST FLASH MEMORY CARDS WITH 64 GIGABIT X4 (4-BITS-PER-CELL) NAND FLASH TECHNOLOGY
SanDisk
Corporation the global leader in flash memory
cards, announced it has begun production shipments of flash
memory cards based on the company’s advanced X4 flash memory
technology. This innovative new technology holds four bits of data
in each memory cell, twice as many as the cells in conventional
multi-level cell (MLC) NAND (2-bits-per-cell) memory chips.
Based on 43-nanometer (nm) process
technology, the 64-gigabit (Gb) NAND flash chip is the
highest-density single-die memory device in the world to enter
production. SanDisk is shipping 8 gigabyte (GB) and
16GB SDHC cards as well as 8GB and 16GB Memory Stick PRO Duo cards
using X4 technology.
"The development and
commercialization of X4 technology represents an important
milestone for the flash storage industry," said Sanjay Mehrotra,
president and chief operating officer, SanDisk. "Our challenge with
X4 technology was to not only deliver the lower costs inherent to
4-bits-per-cell, but to do so while meeting the reliability and
performance requirements of industry standard cards that employ MLC
NAND. Our world-class design and engineering team has applied its
deep experience with high speed 2 and 3-bits-per-cell flash chip
designs and collaborated closely with our leading design partners
to develop and perfect new and powerful error correction algorithms
to assure reliable operation. This intensive multi-year effort has
generated powerful new patents and know-how, and demonstrates
SanDisk’s relentless drive for innovations that result in the ever
expanding use of flash storage in consumer applications such as
music, videos, photos, games and numerous third party
applications."
"The shipment of 4-bits-per-cell
technology is a necessary evolution for the industry," said Joseph
Unsworth, research director, Gartner. "Enabling this technology in
mainstream products demonstrates a cost advantage in the flash
memory industry that considers 2-bits-per-cell in a memory device
as standard. The NAND industry continues to see a rapid pace of
innovation, and adoption of this technology will be essential to
remain competitive."
SanDisk’s Advanced
Development Efforts
SanDisk pioneered the removable flash memory storage industry since
the company’s inception in 1988. The company continues to lead the
industry with advancements in MLC and controller technology with
the development of 2-bit, 3-bit and 4-bit-per-cell and 3D
technologies.
Tel Aviv University (TAU) had
provided a significant contribution to the X4 advanced error
correcting and digital signal processing technology, which was
licensed exclusively to SanDisk by Ramot at Tel Aviv University
Ltd., TAU’s technology transfer company. "X4 took five years of
development at SanDisk, and the finished product is a testament to
the hard work and collaboration of the parties involved," said Dr.
Ze’ev Weinfeld, Ramot’s CEO. "Once we created the basic approach,
SanDisk brought this to fruition by developing its advanced X4
controller and matching it with its advanced 43nm, 64Gb X4 memory
thus making full X4 product implementation possible. This
highlights the benefit commercial companies may gain from
cooperation with TAU, building on our pool of talent and
expertise."
- Revolutionary X4 technology combines advanced proprietary
controller algorithms with world’s largest-capacity
monolithic 64 Gigabit Flash chip - Volume shipments of SDHC and Memory Stick
PRO cards employing X4 technology began in September 2009
