Western Digital has announced the development of 96-layer 3D NAND technology based on its second-generation QLC (4-bits-per-cell) architecture and has begun full-scale sample shipments.

Western Digital has achieved 1.33 terabit (Tb) of data throughput in its 96-layer BiCS4 device, based on QLC. BiCS4 is a next-generation 96-layer vertically stacked 3D NAND technology jointly developed with Western Digital's partner Toshiba. The new QLC-based 96-layer 3D NAND is currently sampling to OEM customers and is expected to be incorporated into SanDisk-branded consumer products later this year. Western Digital expects that BiCS4 technology will be applied to various applications, including enterprise SSDs as well as consumer SSDs in the future.

“We’ve achieved 16 levels of data storage with our QLC architecture, combining Western Digital’s silicon process, device engineering and system integration capabilities,” said Siva Sivaram, senior vice president of Silicon Technology and Manufacturing at Western Digital. “Building on our experience developing 64-layer BiCS3 technology, Western Digital’s second-generation BiCS4 QLC devices will enable us to more aggressively address the exploding data demands across consumer, mobile, embedded, client and enterprise environments, while continuing to drive flash innovation.”