Toshiba debuts 43nm SLC NAND flash memory

Toshiba Corp. (Toshiba) and Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. (TAEC), its subsidiary in the Americas, today announced the launch of a new line-up of 43nm Single-Level Cell (SLC) NAND flash memory products available in densities ranging from 512Mbits to 64Gbits and in a total of 16 versions. The new range includes three products, 16Gb, 32Gb and 64Gb, which integrate 43nm monolithic 16Gb chips, the highest density SLC NAND chips available . The new devices will come to market from the first quarter of 2009.

SLC chips offer fast read and write times and support a large number of write and erase cycles. Toshiba developed the new SLC devices to meet diversifying applications, and its enhanced line-up offers support for mobile phones, office automation equipment, and servers, all of which require high levels of read and write speeds and reliability.

In recent years, Toshiba Corporation has promoted expansion of the NAND flash memory market by accelerating development of high density multi-level cell (MLC) chips to be used for high capacity data storage in such markets as memory cards and MP3 players. Production of SLC chips has been limited for Toshiba's 56nm and 70nm process technologies. In bringing a wider range of advanced SLC flash memories suitable for higher performance storage applications into its line-up, Toshiba aims to expand its selection of high-value added products for diverse embedded applications, and will promote mass production through the application of advanced process technology.