The flash memory used in everything from smartphones to SSDs is about to get a lot more efficient in the wake of the latest advance from Intel and Micron. The companies announced today that they have successfully shrunk NAND flash memory so it can be manufactured using a 20-nanometer process. The practical upshot of all this is that future devices are likely to be packing more memory for less money.
Flash memory made using the new process will be denser than the current 25nm NAND. The technology is set to be used in the creation of new 8GB MLC NAND flash chips where the memory itself uses 30-40% less board space. The chips will be produced by IM Flash Technologies (IMFT), a joint venture between Intel and Micron.
Samsung is in the process of building 20nm NAND for use in SD cards and other devices, but none have hit the market yet. Analysts predict 10-nm NAND is a possibility in the next several years. For the time being, we can expect the new 20nm Intel/Micron flash chips to be in mass production in the second half of the year.
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