Press Release

Samsung announces that is has begun its mass production of the new fifth-generation 256-gigabit (Gb) V-NAND memory chips offering the fastest data transfers available today. It is Samsung’s first V-NAND chips to feature Toggle DDR 4.0 interface that delivers 1.4-gigabits per second (Gbps) which is 40% faster from its 64-layer predecessor. It is also better with energy efficiency having an operating voltage of 1.2V compared to the 64-layer predecessor’s 1.8V. The fifth-generation V-NAND packs the fastest data write speeds at 500-microseconds to give it 30% faster write speeds over the previous generation V-NAND.

Makings of the Fifth-Generation Samsung V-NAND

Packed inside Samsung’s fifth-generation V-NAND are more than 90 layers of ‘3D charge trap flash (CTF) cells,’ the largest amount in the industry, stacked in a pyramid structure with microscopic channel holes vertically drilled throughout. These channel holes, which are only a few hundred-nanometres (nm)-wide, contain more than 85 billion CTF cells that can store three bits of data each. This state-of-the-art memory fabrication is the result of several breakthroughs that include advanced circuit designs and new process technologies.

Thanks to enhancements in the V-NAND’s atomic layer deposition process, manufacturing productivity has also increased by more than 30%. The cutting-edge technology allows the height of each cell layer to be reduced by 20%, prevents crosstalk between cells and increases the efficiency of the chip’s data processing.

Production and Developments

Samsung announces that it will quickly ramp up its production of the fifth-generation V-NAND memory chips to meet a wide range of market needs across all sectors including supercomputing, mobile applications, and enterprise applications. Samsung is also preparing to introduce 1-terabit (Tb) and quad-level cell (QLC) offerings in its V-NAND line-up in the near future.

Check out Samsung's V-NAND consumer products at https://www.samsung.com/semiconductor/minisite/ssd/