Toshiba Develops 16-Gigabit NAND Flash Memory With 43-Nanometer CMOS Process Technology

Toshiba Develops 16-Gigabit NAND Flash Memory With 43-Nanometer CMOS Process
Technology
To Ship 16Gb and 32Gb Single-chip Flash Memory, Fabricated with Cutting-edge
Process Technology Co-developed with SanDisk

TOKYO and IRVINE, Calif., Feb. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Toshiba Corp. (Toshiba),
reinforcing its leadership in the development and fabrication of powerful,
high density NAND flash memory, today announced with Toshiba America
Electronic Components, its subsidiary in the Americas, development of
technology for a 16-gigabit(1) (Gb) NAND flash memory chip, fabricated with
43-nanometer(2) (nm) process technology co-developed with SanDisk Corporation
of Milpitas, California. The technology of the new chip was reported on Feb.
6, in Session 23.6 of the International Solid-State Circuits Conference
(ISSCC) in San Francisco.
The new 16Gb products have a chip area of 120 square millimeters, less
than 30 percent that of same density NAND-flash memories jointly developed by
Toshiba and SanDisk and fabricated with 56nm process technology. Memory cells
are grouped and controlled in NAND strings of 64 cells aligned in parallel,
double the number of 56nm devices, with a dummy word-line at either end to
prevent program disturbance. This technology contributes to reduce the number
of select gates and to improve memory area efficiency. Modification of the
peripheral circuit design also contributes to reduced chip area: the addition
of high voltage switches to the circuit reduces the number of control-gate
driver circuits required to drive word lines, and ground buses are routed on
the memory cell arrays.
Toshiba will start shipments of commercial samples of new 16Gb
(2gigabyte(3)) single-chip, multi-level cell (MLC) NAND flash memories, the
current mainstream density, from today, and start mass production from March.
Toshiba intends to start mass production of 32Gb (4 gigabyte) NAND flash
memories early in the third quarter of this year (July-September 2008). The
new chips will be produced at Fab 4, the latest 300mm wafer fabrication
facility at Toshiba's Yokkaichi Operations, in Mie prefecture, Japan.
By combining advanced process and MLC technologies, and through continued
advances in production efficiency, Toshiba intends to enhance cost
competitiveness and meet the needs of the NAND flash memory market.
*About Toshiba Corp. and TAEC
Through proven commitment, lasting relationships and advanced, reliable
electronic components, Toshiba enables its customers to create market-leading
designs. Toshiba is the heartbeat within product breakthroughs from OEMs,
ODMs, CMs, distributions and fabless chip companies worldwide. A committed
electronic components leader, Toshiba designs and manufactures high-quality
flash memory-based storage solutions, discrete devices, displays, advanced
materials, medical tubes, custom SoCs/ASICs, digital multimedia and imaging
products, microcontrollers and wireless components that make possible today's
leading cell phones, MP3 players, cameras, medical devices, automotive
electronics and more.
Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. is an independent operating
company owned by Toshiba America, Inc., a subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation,
Japan's largest semiconductor manufacturer and the world's third largest
semiconductor manufacturer (Gartner, 2007 WW Semiconductor Revenue Estimate,
Dec. 2007). For additional company and product information, please visit
www.toshiba.com/taec/.
Information in this press release, including product pricing and
specifications, content of services and contact information, is current and
believed to be accurate on the date of the announcement, but is subject to
change without prior notice. Technical and application information contained
here is subject to the most recent applicable Toshiba product specifications.
In developing designs, please ensure that Toshiba products are used
within specified operating ranges as set forth in the most recent Toshiba
product specifications and the information set forth in Toshiba's "Handling
Guide for Semiconductor Devices," or "Toshiba Semiconductor Reliability
Handbook." This information is available at www.chips.toshiba.com, or
from your TAEC representative.
(1) When used herein in relation to memory density, gigabit and/or Gb
means 1,024x1,024x1,024 = 1,073,741,824 bits. Usable capacity may be
less. For details, please refer to specifications.
(2) One nanometer or nm is a billionth of a meter.
(3) When used herein in relation to memory density, gigabyte and/or GB
means 1,024x1,024x1,024 = 1,073,741,824 bytes. Usable capacity may
be less. For details, please refer to specifications.

SOURCE Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc.

Jan Johnson of MultiPath Communications, +1-714-633-4008,
jan@multipathcom.com, for Toshiba Corp.; or Rebecca Bueno of Toshiba America
Electronic Components, Inc., +1-949-623-3098, rebecca.bueno@taec.toshiba.com