Summary of KIOXIA & WESTERN DIGITAL DEVELOP 162-LAYER 3D-NAND
Kioxia and Western Digital announced their sixth-generation 162-layer 3D flash memory, the companies' highest-density, most advanced 3D NAND to date. The development leverages innovations in vertical and lateral scaling, manufacturing, and R&D from their 20-year joint venture to deliver greater capacity, performance, reliability, and cost-efficiency for applications from personal electronics to data centers and emerging 5G, AI, and autonomous systems.
Parts used in the162-layer 3D-NAND development:
- 162-layer 3D flash memory (3D-NAND) technology
- Vertical scaling innovations
- Lateral scaling innovations
- Manufacturing process innovations
- R&D capabilities and resources
- Semiconductor fabrication technologies
- Joint venture operational infrastructure
Kioxia Corporation and Western Digital Corp., today announced that the companies have developed their sixth-generation, 162-layer 3D flash memory technology. Marking the next milestone in the companies’ 20-year joint-venture partnership, this is the companies’ highest density and most advanced 3D flash memory technology to date, utilizing a wide range of technology and manufacturing innovations.
Through our strong partnership that has spanned two decades, Kioxia and Western Digital have successfully created unrivaled capabilities in manufacturing and R&D,” said Masaki Momodomi, Chief Technology Officer, Kioxia. “Together, we produce over 30 percent1 of the world’s flash memory bits and are steadfast in our mission to provide exceptional capacity, performance and reliability at a compelling cost. We each deliver this value proposition across a range of data-centric applications from personal electronics to data centers as well as emerging applications enabled by 5G networks, artificial intelligence and autonomous systems.
Beyond Vertical Scaling – New Architecture Leverages New Innovations
As Moore’s Law reaches its physical limits across the semiconductor industry, there’s one place where Moore’s Law continues its relevancy — that’s in flash,” said Dr. Siva Sivaram, President of Technology & Strategy, Western Digital. “To continue these advances and meet the world’s growing data demands, a new approach to 3D flash memory scaling is critical. With this new generation, Kioxia and Western Digital are introducing innovations in vertical as well as lateral scaling to achieve greater capacity in a smaller die with fewer layers. This innovation ultimately delivers the performance, reliability and cost that customers need.
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- What did Kioxia and Western Digital announce?
They announced development of their sixth-generation 162-layer 3D flash memory technology. - Is this the highest-density 3D flash memory from the companies?
Yes, it is described as the companies' highest density and most advanced 3D flash memory to date. - What kinds of innovations are used in this new generation?
Innovations include vertical and lateral scaling, manufacturing innovations, and R&D advancements. - How long have Kioxia and Western Digital been in partnership?
They have a 20-year joint-venture partnership. - What share of the world's flash memory bits do the companies produce?
They produce over 30 percent of the world's flash memory bits. - What benefits does the new 162-layer technology aim to deliver?
It aims to deliver greater capacity, performance, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. - Which applications are targeted by this technology?
Applications include personal electronics, data centers, and emerging uses enabled by 5G, AI, and autonomous systems. - Why is a new approach to 3D flash memory scaling critical?
Because Moore's Law is reaching physical limits in semiconductors, new scaling approaches are needed to meet growing data demands.
