IM Flash, the joint venture between Micron and Intel set up to make NAND flash, says it is sampling a 16Gbit multi-level cell (MLC) chip.
This puts it on a par with the leading density NAND flash chips which currently command about $16 apiece in the spot market.
The joint venture has three fabs on the go in Boise, Manassas and Lehi.
There’s a 200mm fab at Boise Idaho running over 5,000 wafers a week of 4Gbit and 8Gbit SLC (single level flash) flash on a 72nm process.
Secondly there’s a 300mm fab in Manassas, Virginia running 6,000 wafers week on 72nm and 50nm processes for 4Gb and 8Gb SLC flash.
“At our Lehi [Utah] facility, the facility will build to about 10,000 to 12,000 wafers per week for NAND at 72nm and 50nm process technology (both SLC and MLC products, with obviously the MLC being 72nm up until now). The facility is 300mm,” said a Micron spokesman.
Asked where IM Flash had got its MLC technology from - which, in the case of floating gate flash, is seen as a SanDisk-patented area, and in the case of NROM flash is a Saifun-patented area - the spokesman replied: “The MLC technology is internally developed with Intel.”
IM Flash plans to set up a fourth flash fab in Singapore.