Billions of microscopic cells on a single chip will soon add eight gigabytes of nonvolatile memory to smartphones and other devices, creating new possibilities for mobile applications and potentially lowering prices in the long term. IM Flash Technologies, a joint venture between chipmakers Intel and Micron Technology, on Monday unveiled a 64-gigabit NAND flash die based on 25-nanometer process technology.
The new process doubles the density of the partnership’s previous milestone creation, a 32-gigabit die based on 34-nanometer technology. A nanometer is one billionth of a meter.
IMFT is currently market-testing the new chips with production expected in the second half of this year. About the size of a postage stamp, each die contains a memory array with more than 32 billion cells, each of which is only 25 nanometers wide.
“The smaller we make the storage cell, the more we can get into a die and the more capacity you as an end user will see,” said Kevin Killbuck, director of NAND market development for Micron, in a video posted on the company’s web site. He said the 8GB capacity is about the same as 11 CDs, enough to hold thousands of songs and photos and hours of video.
Killbuck said the technology will allow devices like flash memory cards and MP3 players to double their capacity while remaining the same size and consuming the same amount of power.
The new technology meets a growing demand for high density and low cost that has fueled the spread of cheap flash drives and other portable storage devices.
“More advanced manufacturing processes are bringing about computing functionality in a smaller package,” said Jeff Orr, senior analyst for mobile devices at ABI Research. “Smaller semiconductors allow for smaller device form factors by using less space on the system board, and they generally consume less…