SK Hynix said on June 26 that it has developed and started production of world's first 128-layer 1Tbit Triple Level Cell (TLC) 4D NAND Flash Memory. This is the first success in eight months since the development of 96-layer 4D NAND flash memory in October last year.
SK Hynix's 128-layer NAND Flash Memory, which will be mass-produced this time, is the industry's highest layer and is a 1Tb product that has more than 360 billion NAND Cells that store 3 bits in a single chip. SK Hynix implemented ultra-high-capacity NAND by utilizing characteristics of small Chip Size, which is the biggest strength of 4D NAND.
4D NAND is an innovative product that combines Charge Trap Flash (CTF) and Peri Under Cell (FUC), which were first developed by SK Hynix in October last year. This can be likened to the fact that the outdoor parking lot of an apartment has been changed to an underground parking lot to maximize space efficiency.
SK Hynix is planning to sell 128-layer 4D NAND Flash Memory starting from second half of this year and release variety of solution products one after another. The products are based on a structure that has 4 Plane located inside a single chip and implements 1400 Mbps data transmission speed with a low voltage of 1.2V, which enables high-performance low-power mobile solutions and enterprise SSDs.
In the first half of next year, the company will develop next-generation UFS 3.1 products and supply them to flagship models, including 5G for major smartphone customers.
The NAND number of 1TBte products, currently the largest capacity in the smartphone industry, will be halved, lowering consumption power by 20 percent, and providing customers with thin mobile solutions with a package thickness of 1mm.
"With 128-layer 4D NAND, SK Hynix has secured competitive edge in NAND business. The product, which implements the industry's highest capacity, will provide various solutions that customers want," said Oh Jong-hoon, vice president of GSM at SK hynix.