Intel, Micron Introduce First Sub 40nm Chip

Intel, Micron Introduce First Sub 40nm Chip

Techtree News Staff, May 30, 2008 1800 hrs IST

A single 34nm 32Gb chip can store more than 2,000 high-resolution digital photos or hold up to 1,000 songs on a personal music player.

Intel and Micron have together introduced the industry's first sub-40 nanometer (nm) NAND memory device -- a 34nm 32gigabit (Gb) multi-level cell chip that promises increased storage capacity in small form factor applications.

Measuring just 172mm -- less than the size of a thumbnail -- the 34nm 32Gb chip, designed mainly for solid-state drives (SSD), will enable high-density solid-state storage in small form factor applications. It is touted as the only monolithic device at this density that fits into a standard 48-lead thin small-outline package (TSOP), providing a cost-effective path to higher densities in existing applications.

It is believed the chip will enable more cost-effective SSDs, doubling the current storage volume of these devices as well as driving capacities to beyond 256GB in today's standard, smaller 1.8-inches form factor.

A single 34nm 32Gb chip can store more than 2,000 high-resolution digital photos or hold up to 1,000 songs on a personal music player. Two 8-die stacked packages can realize 64 gigabytes (GBs) of storage, enough for recording anywhere between eight and forty hours of high-definition video in a digital camcorder.

Intel and Micron plan to introduce newer lower-density multi-level cell products based on 34nm architecture by end this year. Meanwhile, customer samples of the sub-40nm chip are expected to begin next month with mass production expected during the second half of th year.