Numonyx claims to have produced the industry’s first samples of multi-level cell (MLC) NOR flash memory products using 45 nm process technology. NOR flash memory chips are most commonly used in mobile phones to run critical phone operations, manage personal data and store photos, music and videos.
The 45 nm 1 Gb monolithic device is based on the company’s StrataFlash memory architecture and is drop-in compatible with Numonyx high-volume 65 nm NOR flash chips. The architectural compatibility and continuity enables mobile phone OEMs to reduce development costs, extend the life of current platforms and bring new products to market faster. The new technology will also increase the speed in which data is written up to 50 percent over the previous generation.
“The mobile phone memory segment remains large and the need for high-density, low-cost non-volatile NOR flash memory continues to drive aggressive scaling requirements,” says Ed Doller, chief technology officer at Numonyx. “[Our] engineers overcame major scaling limitations by developing new process techniques to produce the 7th generation MLC NOR flash on the industry’s most advanced 45nm technology.”
The company is sampling now in limited quantities and densities, and plans to introduce products on the new technology this year. High volume production is expected in 2010.
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