Micron improves 34nm NAND flash memory

Micron has announced that it will start producing a new generation of NAND flash memory chips. These chips are based on the first 34nm generation, which was introduced about a half year ago.

The new chips feature capacities of 16 and 32 gigabit, effectively 2 and 4 GB. They're based on multi-level cell (MLC) technology and use a smaller surface than the previous generation. According to Micron, the 32 gigabit chip is 17% smaller than its predecessor. The first 34nm single-level cell (SLC) chips are also being sampled: these will eventually become available in capacities of 8 and 16 gigabit (1 and 2 GB). The used ONFI 2.1 synchrone interface supports speeds of up to 200 MB/s.

Micron's chips are used in a large variety of products, which include USB flashdrives and memory cards. Lexar, one of Micron's partners, uses the new chips in the Platinum II 32 GB SDHC and the 16 GB microSDHC cards. The 32 GB card has a Class 4 speed of 60x, which means the minimum reading- and writing speeds are specified at respectively 12 and 9 MB/s. By the end of September, the chips are to be found in more Lexar products and possibly in competing products as well.

Tags: usb

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