SanDisk Corporation today announced that it expects to see the launch of the next generation of NAND flash memory this quarter as it begins the transition from 70 nanometer (nm) to 56nm multi-level cell (MLC) flash memory chips at Fab 3, the 300mm wafer fabrication facility that is located at Toshiba’s Yokkaichi Operations near Nagoya, Japan. In the first half of this year, SanDisk intends to start shipping products with the industry’s highest available density of single-chip MLC NAND flash memory. After qualifying limited engineering samples, SanDisk plans to introduce 8Gb (1 gigabyte) single-chip MLC NAND flash memory on 56nm process technology in the first quarter. In Q2-07, the company expects to introduce 56nm 16Gb (2 Gigabyte) NAND, which doubles the memory density per chip when compared to 70nm technology.
The new 56nm flash will be produced initially at Fab 3, the first 300mm wafer facility that SanDisk and Toshiba opened in 2005. By the end of this year, Fab 4, the new 300mm facility now under construction in connection with Flash Alliance, Ltd., a venture between the two companies, is expected to add to the 56nm flash production.
