Samsung is a pioneer in Flash Memory, and with its development of 3D NAND continues to drive innovation. In celebration of the 40th anniversary of its invention, we spoke with Samsung about key milestones in Flash and what to expect next.
Tell us about your key milestones in Flash memory
At Samsung, we released our first 16Mb NAND Flash in 1994. Prior to this, we developed 16Kb EEPROM in 1984, which is regarded as the precursor to Flash Memory.
A key milestone came in 2013,when we developed 3D Vertical NAND in an effort to overcome the technical limitation of semiconductor micronization. Achieving mass production was a breakthrough moment for our industry and set the path for the NAND scalability that is still evident today.
What’s hot in Flash for you now and why?
Server (including AI) and Smartphone continue to be the biggest consumers of NAND Flash, while we see strong future growth from Automotive due to ADAS/AD requirements. Content growth drives NAND Flash demand in all major applications.
Our latest QLC Vertical NAND combines several breakthrough technologies, including Channel Hole Etching that enables the highest layer count with double stack structure. It is optimized for various AI applications.
What’s next in Flash? What can we expect?
We are excited to keep engaging with our customers, to provide a roadmap that continues to increase density with improved performance, while addressing new trends like cyber security.
More at https://semiconductor.samsung.com/
