英特爾(Intel)和美光科技(Micron Technology)日前宣布，已開發出128Gb的NAND 快閃記憶體，新元件採用了針對快閃記憶體改良的20nm 製程技術，將high-k 金屬閘極(HKMG)電晶體包含在內。
兩家公司聲稱，他們開發出了全球首款獨立型128Gb記憶體，並表示將立即使用相同的製程量產20nm的64Gb NAND快閃記憶體元件，而新的128Gb元件預計2012上半年量產。
英特爾與美光並未描述20nm製程細節，而其他記憶體製造目前的製程技術也進展到20~29nm之間。過去曾有報導指出英特爾與美光采用25nm製程開發64Gb的NAND快閃記憶體。
新元件是由英特爾與美光的合資公司IM Flash Technologies (IMFT)開發。儘管兩家公司並未說明新元件的每個單元包含多少位元，但這款128Gb的記憶體在每個單元中使用了多層感測(multilevel sensing)技術。兩家公司同時表示，新元件也首次使用了平面單元架構，藉由在NAND生產過程中整合HKMG閘極堆疊，克服了標準浮閘NAND快記憶體上的縮放限制。英特爾已經在數個邏輯製程節點中使用過HKMG閘極堆疊電晶體，但相信這是首次應用在記憶體元件中。
英特爾與美光錶示，他們將於12月量產20nm的64Gb NAND快閃記憶體，並預估2012年可轉換至量產128Gb元件。 128Gb元件的樣品將在明年1月就緒，緊接著於明年上半年量產。
新的128Gb記憶體可支援智慧手機、平板電腦和固態硬碟等應用中333MT/s的傳輸要求。而採用8個128Gb晶粒的記憶體模組將可提供Terabit等級的儲存容量。
“很高興見到英特爾-美光的合資公司再次領先推出高密度、低成本的20nm NAND元件，”英特爾副總裁暨非揮發性記憶體解決方案部門總經理Rob Crooke說。
編譯： Joy Teng
(參考原文： Intel, Micron offer 128-Gbit NAND flash memory，by Peter Clarke)
News Highlights
SANTA CLARA, Calif. and BOISE, Idaho, Dec. 6, 2011 - Intel Corporation and Micron Technology, Inc., today announced a new benchmark in NAND flash technology - the world's first 20 nanometer (nm), 128 gigabit (Gb), multilevel-cell (MLC) device. The companies also announced mass production of their 64Gb 20nm NAND, which further extends the companies' leadership in NAND process technology.
Intel, Micron Extend NAND Flash Technology Leadership with Introduction of World's First 128Gb NAND Device and Mass Production of 64Gb 20nm NAND
SANTA CLARA, Calif. and BOISE, Idaho, Dec. 6, 2011 - Intel Corporation and Micron Technology, Inc., today announced a new benchmark in NAND flash technology - the world's first 20 nanometer (nm), 128 gigabit (Gb), multilevel-cell (MLC) device. The companies also announced mass production of their 64Gb 20nm NAND, which further extends the companies' leadership in NAND process technology.
Developed through Intel and Micron's joint-development venture, IM Flash Technologies (IMFT), the new 20nm monolithic 128Gb device is the first in the industry to enable a terabit (Tb) of data storage in a fingertip-size package by using just eight die. It also provides twice the storage capacity and performance of the companies' existing 20nm 64Gb NAND device. The 128Gb device meets the high-speed ONFI 3.0 specification to achieve speeds of 333 megatransfers per second (MT/s), providing customers with a more cost-effective solid-state storage solution for today's slim, sleek product designs, including tablets, smartphones and high-capacity solid-state drives (SSDs.)
"As portable devices get smaller and sleeker, and server demands increase, our customers look to Micron for innovative new storage technologies and system solutions that meet these challenges," said Glen Hawk, vice president of Micron's NAND Solutions Group. "Our collaboration with Intel continues to deliver leading NAND technologies and expertise that are critical to building those systems."
The companies also revealed that the key to their success with 20nm process technology is due to an innovative new cell structure that enables more aggressive cell scaling than conventional architectures. Their 20nm NAND uses a planar cell structure - the first in the industry - to overcome the inherent difficulties that accompany advanced process technology, enabling performance and reliability on par with the previous generation. The planar cell structure successfully breaks the scaling constraints of the standard NAND floating gate cell by integrating the first Hi-K/metal gate stack on NAND production.
"It is gratifying to see the continued NAND leadership from the Intel-Micron joint development with yet more firsts as our manufacturing teams deliver these high-density, low-cost, compute-quality 20nm NAND devices," said Rob Crooke, Intel vice president and general manager of Intel's Non-Volatile Memory Solutions Group. "Through the utilization of planar cell structure and Hi-K/Metal gate stack, IMFT continues to advance the technological capabilities of our NAND flash memory solutions to enable exciting new products, services and form factors."
The demand for high-capacity NAND flash devices is driven by three interconnected market trends: data storage growth, the shift to the cloud and the proliferation of portable devices. As digital content continues to grow, users expect that data to be available across a multitude of devices, all synchronized via the cloud. To effectively stream data, servers require high-performance, high-capacity storage that NAND delivers, and storage in mobile devices has consistently grown with increased access to data. High-definition video is one example of an application that requires high-capacity storage, since attempting to stream this type of data can create a poor user experience. These developments create great opportunities for high-performance, small-footprint storage, both in the mobile devices that consume the content and the storage servers that deliver it.
Intel and Micron noted that the December production ramp of their 20nm 64Gb NAND flash product will enable a rapid transition to the 128Gb device in 2012. Samples of the 128Gb device will be available in January, closely followed by mass production in the first half of 2012. Achievement of this milestone will further enable greater densities and overall fab output, while also helping the companies' development teams cultivate the expertise required to design complex storage solutions and refine future technologies.
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