SK Hynix has introduced its first 3D NAND device with 238 layers, the highest number of layers in the industry. The new 512Gb devices promise to be quite cheap and will allow SK Hynix to build cheap solid-state storage. In addition, the 512Gb 238-layer 3D NAND products will help the memory manufacturer learn how to mass-produce flash memory with a large number of layers.
SK Hynix’s first 238-layer 3D NAND device features triple-level cell (TLC) architecture, 512Gb (64GB) capacity, and 2400MT/s interface speed, a 50% increase in compared to the previous generation NAND flagship from the South Korean manufacturer. As an added benefit, the new 3D NAND memory device reduces power consumption during reading by 21%, which will be an advantage for both mobile PCs and smartphones.
The IC features a charge trap flash (CTF) design as well as SK Hynix’s peripheral cell (PUC) design which the company formally calls ‘4D’ NAND. The company’s Peripheral Under Cells (PUC) helps reduce NAND memory costs by making devices slightly smaller.
Formally, SK Hynix’s 238-layer 3D NAND devices are technologically more advanced than Micron’s 232-layer 3D NAND ICs introduced in July. Micron’s 232-layer 3D NAND devices have a capacity of 1 Gb and therefore provide more storage space per chip and allow the creation of 3D NAND packages of up to 2 TB. However, SK Hynix says that its 1Gb 238-layer 3D NAND products will already be introduced next year.
In fact, 512Gb 238-layer 3D NAND devices may have certain advantages over 1Gb 232-layer 3D NAND ICs when it comes to building fast mid-range SSDs (which have every chance of making our list). of better SSDs). Eight 512Gb 3D NAND devices allow you to build 512GB drives with all eight NAND channels active, thus providing the highest possible parallelism and performance at a relatively low cost.
SK Hynix plans to begin mass production of 238-layer 3D TLC NAND devices (or 4D NAND, if you prefer) in the first half of 2023. The new flash memory ICs will initially be used for customer SSDs, later they will be adopted for smartphones as well as for data center drives.