Samsung develops 40nm P-RAM

Samsung said that it has developed the world's first 32-gigabit NAND flash memory chip based on finer 40-nanometer processing technology.

The development will greatly extend the lifespan of NAND flash memory chips, Samsung Electronics President Hwang Chang-gyu said in a press conference.

The new memory chip can store up to 36,000 high-resolution photographs or 40 movie files, according to the South Korean hi-tech giant. The chips are used in digital cameras, music players, and other multimedia applications.

"We have opened a new chapter in memory chip history," Hwang said. Samsung Electronics first developed the 256-megabit NAND flash memory in 1999.

The world's largest computer memory chipmaker said it has also developed the world's first 512-megabit phase change random access memory chips, or P-RAMs, and high-speed hybrid memory chips.

P-RAMs boast data-processing speeds 30 times faster than existing memory chips and are more competitive in production costs than existing flash memory.

"Our memory chip sales will reach an all-time high in the third quarter and maintain momentum until the end of this year," Hwang said.