SK Hynix begins mass production of world's first 321-layer NAND memory

By Candice Kim Posted : November 21, 2024, 17:16 Updated : November 21, 2024, 17:16
SK Hynix's 321-layer NAND. Courtesy of SK Hynix

SEOUL, November 21 (AJP) - SK Hynix announced on Thursday it has started mass production of the industry's first 321-layer 1-terabit Triple Level Cell (TLC) 4D NAND flash memory, with plans to supply the product to customers in the first half of 2025.

The development is expected to consolidate the firm's position as a key player in the AI memory market. It is well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for AI memory solutions with its strong focus on HBM, coupled with strategic partnerships and robust R&D efforts.

The company achieved the latest breakthrough using its "3-plug" process technology and low-stress materials, improving productivity by 59 percent compared to its previous 238-layer NAND. It also enhanced data transfer speed by 12 percent and read performance by 13 percent.

"By being the first to start mass production of NAND with more than 300 layers, we have secured an advantageous position to target the AI storage market, including AI data center SSDs and on-device AI," said Choi Jung-dal, head of NAND Development at SK Hynix.

The new product also demonstrates 10 percent better power efficiency in data reading operations, positioning the company to expand into AI-focused low-power, high-performance market segments.

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