Supplying 250Gb SSDs to Global PC Manufacturers
Implementing a 6th-generation V-NAND 100-layer cell single-process
| Mass production of 512Gb 3-bit V-NAND planned this year

SSDs utilizing V-NAND, which can process more than 100 layers of cells at once, have entered commercialization.

Samsung Electronics announced on the 6th that it has mass-produced and supplied to global PC manufacturers an 'enterprise PC SSD' based on the 6th generation (1xx layer) 256Gb (gigabit) TLC (3-bit) V-NAND.

This product was manufactured using a single process (1 Etching Step) that pierces more than 100 cells at once, while simultaneously improving speed, productivity, and power-saving characteristics.

Samsung Electronics plans to launch products of various capacities and specifications, including 512Gb 3-bit V-NAND-based SSDs and eFUS, in the second half of this year to meet growing global customer demand, starting with mass production of 250GB SATA PC SSDs for businesses.

Samsung Electronics has mass-produced the 6th generation V-NAND, which has a density approximately 1.4 times higher than the 5th generation V-NAND, using 'Channel Hole Etching' technology.

The 6th generation V-NAND is electric By stacking 136 layers of molds and then simultaneously drilling tiny cylindrical holes to connect the cell structures, a 3D CTF cell with uniform characteristics was created.

In general, as the number of layers increases, it is difficult to maintain a uniform insulation state between layers, and the electron movement path also becomes longer, which increases NAND operation errors and causes a delay in data read time.

To overcome this, Samsung Electronics applied ‘ultra-high-speed design technology’ to the 6th generation V-NAND to achieve the fastest speed ever for a 3-bit V-NAND (data write time of 450 μs or less, read response latency of 45 μs or less), and reduced the operating voltage by more than 15% while increasing performance by more than 10% compared to the previous generation.

In addition, Samsung Electronics has achieved 256Gb capacity with less than 670 million channel holes in the 6th generation V-NAND, thereby reducing the number of processes and chip size compared to the 5th generation V-NAND (9x layers, approximately 930 million channel holes), and improving productivity by more than 20%.

The 6th generation V-NAND can produce next-generation V-NAND with over 300 layers in just three layers using a single process (1 etching step), which can further shorten the product development cycle.

Samsung Electronics plans to actively pursue a lead in the global mobile market by satisfying the ultra-fast and ultra-low power consumption characteristics required for next-generation flagship smartphones. In addition to leading the high-capacity market for next-generation enterprise servers, the company plans to continue expanding its 3D V-NAND business to the automotive market, which demands high reliability.

“By securing two generations of advanced 3D memory mass production technology, we have been able to launch a memory lineup with even higher speed and power efficiency at the right time,” said Kyung Kye-hyun, Vice President and Head of Solution Development at Samsung Electronics’ Memory Business Division. “We will further accelerate the development schedule for our next-generation lineup to rapidly expand the ultra-high-speed, ultra-high-capacity SSD market.”

Meanwhile, Samsung Electronics plans to expand its 6th generation V-NAND-based SSD lineup in earnest at its dedicated V-NAND line in Pyeongtaek starting in 2020.