SK Hynix releases 321-layer 4D NAND sample, becoming the first company to develop NAND with more than 300 layers
At the Flash Memory Summit 2023 held in Santa Clara from August 8 to 10, SK Hynix demonstrated its 321-layer 1Tb TLC 4D NAND Flash sample and revealed development progress. They said they will further improve 321-layer NAND flash memory and plan to start mass production in the first half of 2025.
At the Flash Memory Summit 2023 held in Santa Clara from August 8 to 10, SK Hynix demonstrated its 321-layer 1Tb TLC 4D NAND Flash sample and revealed development progress. They said they will further improve 321-layer NAND flash memory and plan to start mass production in the first half of 2025.
With the rapid growth of generative artificial intelligence applications, such as ChatGPT developed by Microsoft-backed OpenAI, demand has been increasing for advanced memory chips that can process more data at faster speeds.
Choi Jungdal, head of NAND development at SK Hynix, said in a keynote speech at the conference: "With the timely launch of high-performance, large-capacity NAND, we will strive to meet the requirements of the AI era and continue to lead innovation."
He also said that the company's technological competitiveness accumulated from the success of the world's highest 238-layer NAND, which has been mass-produced, has paved the way for the development of 321-layer products. "With another breakthrough to solve stacking limitations, SK hynix will usher in the over-300-layer NAND era and lead the market."
The 321-layer 1Tb TLC NAND is 59% more efficient than the previous generation 238-layer 512Gb. This is because data storage units can be stacked higher with more monoliths, achieving greater storage capacity on the same chip, thereby increasing the number of chips produced per unit wafer.
