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double-o-nothing
But IM will catch up easily (at least to 19 nm).
NAND_analyst
Toshiba says that they and Sandisk will begin mass production of 19nm in July ...
Update: SanDisk-Toshiba reclaim NAND lead
Mark Lapedus
4/21/2011 12:25 AM EDT
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Last week, Intel Corp. and Micron Technology Inc. took the process technology lead in the NAND flash market by rolling out a 20-nm process.
This week, Intel and Micron lost the lead. SanDisk Corp. and Toshiba Corp. have regained the lead, claiming that they have fabricated NAND flash memories with 19-nm process technology. The two companies have a joint manufacturing venture in Japan.
This was seen as a major surprise. SanDisk and Toshiba were expected to announce a 1x-nm-class NAND device, but not until year's end, observers said. So, in other words, Intel and Micron held the NAND process lead for a mere seven days.
''Note that the (SanDisk-Toshiba duo) are not yet sampling the 19-nm part,'' said Jim Handy, an analyst with Objective-Analysis. ''Intel and Micron were already sampling their 20-nm part when it was introduced.''
''The timeline seems similar to IM Flash. I estimate the memory cell size to be approximately 10 percent smaller than IMFT’s,'' said Gregory Wong, an analyst with Forward Insights, referring to the joint NAND venture between Intel and Micron.
This latest technology from the SanDisk-Toshiba duo has already been applied to 2-bit-per-cell, 64-gigabit chips. This enables 8-GB on a single chip. Toshiba and SanDisk will also add 3-bit-per-cell products fabricated with the 19-nm process technology to its product line-up.
The 19-nm process will be ramped up within Fab 4-not Fab 5-at its Yokkaichi Operations in Japan, according to Toshiba. Yokkaichi Operations currently has four NAND flash memory fabs. Toshiba and SanDisk have been ramping production in Fab 4-a 300-mm plant.
Last year, Japan's Toshiba started the construction of a new NAND flash memory fab, dubbed Fab 5, also a 300-mm plant. Construction work is scheduled for completion in the spring of 2011.
Toshiba said samples of 2-bit-per-cell, 64-Gbit line will be available at the end of this month, with mass production scheduled for the third quarter of the year.
Application of the 19-nm generation process technology will further shrink chip size, allowing Toshiba to assemble 16 64-Gbit NAND flash memory chips in one package and to deliver 128-GB devices for smartphones and tablet PCs. The 19-nm process products are also equipped with Toggle DDR2.0, which enhances data transfer speed.
For its part, SanDisk will sample its 19-nm, 64-Gbit X2 device this quarter and expects to begin high-volume production in the second half of 2011. At that time, SanDisk will also add 3-bits-per-cell products fabricated with the 19-nm process technology to its product line-up.
SanDisk’s so-called All-Bit-Line (ABL) architecture with proprietary programming algorithms and multi-level data storage management schemes help yield multi-level cell (MLC) NAND flash memory chips that do not sacrifice performance or reliability.
In a statement, Yoram Cedar, executive vice president and chief technology officer of SanDisk, said: “Products based on this technology are designed to enable new applications, form factors and consumer experience that will continue to drive the flash industry to new heights.”
For some time, the duo of Toshiba and SanDisk were the process technology leaders in the market. The two companies are ramping up a 24-nm NAND line. Hynix Semiconductor Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. are also separately ramping up 2x-nm-class devices.
Then, last week, Intel and Micron grabbed the lead. The companies introduced a new 20-nm process technology for manufacturing NAND flash memory. Manufactured by IM Flash Technologies LLC (IMFT), Intel and Micron’s NAND flash joint venture, the new 20-nm process produces an 8-gigabyte (GB) multi-level cell (MLC) NAND flash device. The device had been expected.
Now, SanDisk and Toshiba trumped the Intel-Micron duo. “We are excited to introduce the world’s smallest and lowest-cost NAND flash chips based on industry-leading 19-nm process technology in our ongoing collaboration with our manufacturing partner Toshiba,” said Cedar.
On the down side, however, Toshiba has told customers it will have to halve its output of NAND flash memory ICs in May and June because of a shortage of blank wafers and other materials, according to a Digitimes report that referenced unnamed industry sources.
Next: Who is the leader?
This week, Intel and Micron lost the lead. SanDisk Corp. and Toshiba Corp. have regained the lead, claiming that they have fabricated NAND flash memories with 19-nm process technology. The two companies have a joint manufacturing venture in Japan.
This was seen as a major surprise. SanDisk and Toshiba were expected to announce a 1x-nm-class NAND device, but not until year's end, observers said. So, in other words, Intel and Micron held the NAND process lead for a mere seven days.
''Note that the (SanDisk-Toshiba duo) are not yet sampling the 19-nm part,'' said Jim Handy, an analyst with Objective-Analysis. ''Intel and Micron were already sampling their 20-nm part when it was introduced.''
''The timeline seems similar to IM Flash. I estimate the memory cell size to be approximately 10 percent smaller than IMFT’s,'' said Gregory Wong, an analyst with Forward Insights, referring to the joint NAND venture between Intel and Micron.
This latest technology from the SanDisk-Toshiba duo has already been applied to 2-bit-per-cell, 64-gigabit chips. This enables 8-GB on a single chip. Toshiba and SanDisk will also add 3-bit-per-cell products fabricated with the 19-nm process technology to its product line-up.
The 19-nm process will be ramped up within Fab 4-not Fab 5-at its Yokkaichi Operations in Japan, according to Toshiba. Yokkaichi Operations currently has four NAND flash memory fabs. Toshiba and SanDisk have been ramping production in Fab 4-a 300-mm plant.
Last year, Japan's Toshiba started the construction of a new NAND flash memory fab, dubbed Fab 5, also a 300-mm plant. Construction work is scheduled for completion in the spring of 2011.
Toshiba said samples of 2-bit-per-cell, 64-Gbit line will be available at the end of this month, with mass production scheduled for the third quarter of the year.
Application of the 19-nm generation process technology will further shrink chip size, allowing Toshiba to assemble 16 64-Gbit NAND flash memory chips in one package and to deliver 128-GB devices for smartphones and tablet PCs. The 19-nm process products are also equipped with Toggle DDR2.0, which enhances data transfer speed.
For its part, SanDisk will sample its 19-nm, 64-Gbit X2 device this quarter and expects to begin high-volume production in the second half of 2011. At that time, SanDisk will also add 3-bits-per-cell products fabricated with the 19-nm process technology to its product line-up.
SanDisk’s so-called All-Bit-Line (ABL) architecture with proprietary programming algorithms and multi-level data storage management schemes help yield multi-level cell (MLC) NAND flash memory chips that do not sacrifice performance or reliability.
In a statement, Yoram Cedar, executive vice president and chief technology officer of SanDisk, said: “Products based on this technology are designed to enable new applications, form factors and consumer experience that will continue to drive the flash industry to new heights.”
For some time, the duo of Toshiba and SanDisk were the process technology leaders in the market. The two companies are ramping up a 24-nm NAND line. Hynix Semiconductor Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. are also separately ramping up 2x-nm-class devices.
Then, last week, Intel and Micron grabbed the lead. The companies introduced a new 20-nm process technology for manufacturing NAND flash memory. Manufactured by IM Flash Technologies LLC (IMFT), Intel and Micron’s NAND flash joint venture, the new 20-nm process produces an 8-gigabyte (GB) multi-level cell (MLC) NAND flash device. The device had been expected.
Now, SanDisk and Toshiba trumped the Intel-Micron duo. “We are excited to introduce the world’s smallest and lowest-cost NAND flash chips based on industry-leading 19-nm process technology in our ongoing collaboration with our manufacturing partner Toshiba,” said Cedar.
On the down side, however, Toshiba has told customers it will have to halve its output of NAND flash memory ICs in May and June because of a shortage of blank wafers and other materials, according to a Digitimes report that referenced unnamed industry sources.
Next: Who is the leader?
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resistion
4/21/2011 12:48 AM EDT
Maybe the gauntlet is broken this time?
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3D Guy
4/21/2011 2:23 AM EDT
Mark: As you realize, it's all PR. The SanDisk-Toshiba guys saw Micron making their announcement. Then they went ahead and did their own. SanDisk and Toshiba haven't ramped up their 24nm yet, according to their analyst calls... if they indeed ramp up 19nm in 2H 2011, then the effective life of their 24nm node is just 6 months. I question the ROI on that technology.
I think SanDisk and Toshiba are just pandering to the press here, they will ramp their 19nm slower.
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NAND_analyst
4/21/2011 11:01 AM EDT
@3D Guy--Actually, Sandisk-Toshiba started to ramp 24nm back in November. And talk about pandering to the press--Micron has done it for years now. Look at the difference between this article and the one annointing, whoops, I mean announcing Micron as the Technology Leader of NAND. In that one, Mark quotes analysts who say how "inspiring" Micron has been, goes into detail about how "far ahead" they are technologically, how incredible they are. In this one, he can't be bothered with getting any analyst quotes, and he doesn't even mention Adaptive Flash Management (AFM), which is what enables Sandisk's x3 chip to act like x2 chips.
And that is the real issue: the process lead is only one factor in cost and technological leadership. Trumpeting it like it is the only issue is misleading. NAND production is far more complex than the press pretends, which is why it is confused by both investors and analysts with DRAM so often.
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NAND_analyst
4/21/2011 11:29 AM EDT
One more thing: the Real Point to the process race isn't just "leadership"; it is to enable the mass SSD market ASAP. NAND vendors need that market to open up wide so that the new fabs that are coming online don't cause oversupply issues. 1x production will enable it, IMHO. And that is why Jim Handy's prediction that was publicized on these pages a couple of months ago that there will be severe oversupply in NAND in H2 of 2011 will be proven wrong, in my opinion. Although NAND bears will undoubtedly repeat these sorts of things, because that is what they do almost every quarter, despite having been completely wrong for over 2 years now.
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luting
4/21/2011 12:06 PM EDT
No wondering Hitachi and Samsung are getting out HDD business. HDD might be cheaper but hardly any consumer need 1T disk drive. My 1T drive is 80% empty. I will no doubt to trade 1T HDD for 128MB SDD
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t.alex
4/22/2011 3:48 AM EDT
Yes, SSD is getting cheaper and cheaper. i think we can get 1 1TB SSD anytime soon.
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NAND_analyst
4/21/2011 3:34 PM EDT
Well, glad you added a couple of analyst comments. We will find out more in a couple of hours when Sandisk reports earnings.
It still puzzles me why Handy is so effusive in his praise for Micron, but is quite restrained when talking about Sandisk/Toshiba, even feeling it necessary to point out that they haven't sampled 19nm output yet. As I said earlier, I own both companies, because I believe that this market will be big enough for all of the vendors out there for several years, and especially so for those like Sandisk and Micron that are each on the cutting edge in their own ways.
FYI, Mark, Sandisk/Toshiba only operate two fabs right now at Yokkaichi -- they closed Fabs 1 and 2 years ago.
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NAND_analyst
4/22/2011 12:14 PM EDT
Mark, in light of Sandisk's CC last night, you should either take out that paragraph saying that Toshiba "will have to halve its output of NAND flash memory ICs in May and June" or, if you still actually believe it, you should add a line that to the effect that Sandisk does not appear to be affected by this wafer shortage (although it is highly unlikely that Toshiba would have this issue but not Sandisk).
Surely, these rumors need to be second sourced; just because Digitimes says something doesn't mean that it is so. Especially a rumor like that one that gets circulated a day or two before earnings are announced.
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Diogenes53
4/23/2011 1:03 AM EDT
I am more interested in precisely how they are achieving 19-20nm half pitch lithographically, presumably via spacer double patterning, and what are anticipated costs and yields of this complex and delicate process. Toshiba has reportedly been developing imprint lithography which has the potential to be simpler and lower cost.
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double-o-nothing
4/24/2011 12:08 PM EDT
I think someone will triple or quadruple to get to next 1x nm demonstration, this year or next year.
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resistion
4/29/2011 7:36 AM EDT
Yes Samsung 2012
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unknown multiplier
5/6/2011 1:31 AM EDT
38 nm hp is supposed to be limit of a single exposure. But it is too borderline. So I wonder if they actually had to use the quadruple already.
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NAND_analyst
5/25/2011 12:38 AM EDT
Toshiba says that they and Sandisk will begin mass production of 19nm in July rather than in the fall. And Yokkaichi Y5 will begin mass production in July, with shipments in August. That "almost a year" lead that some people were claiming for Micron isn't a lead at all anymore.
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double-o-nothing
5/25/2011 12:51 AM EDT
But IM will catch up easily (at least to 19 nm).
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