Elpida and Spansion develop 4-Gigabit NAND flash memory

Elpida Memory and Spansion today announced they have created the industry's first charge-trapping 1.8 V, 4-gigabit SLC (Single Level Cell) NAND Flash memory. This NAND memory, based on Spansion's MirrorBit charge-trapping technology, is being produced at Elpida's Hiroshima factory. The advanced technical expertise and strong cooperation of the two companies has made it possible to develop and manufacture the world's first charge-trapping NAND Flash memory.

Compared to floating-gate NAND Flash memory, charge-trapping NAND Flash memory is more scalable and has a simpler cell structure. It offers superior performance, faster read and faster programming speeds.

Elpida plans to combine NAND flash memory with Mobile RAM to sell mobile consumer products, thereby providing memory solutions to the mobile market that offer high added value. In addition, Spansion is developing NAND solutions for the embedded and select wireless markets and continues to produce and sell its NOR flash memory products to its customers in the automotive, consumer, communications, industrial and select wireless market segments.

Elpida plans to start shipping samples of the 1.8 V 4-gigabit NAND flash memory during the fourth quarter of 2010, will begin mass production during the first quarter of 2011, and is developing 2-gigabit and 1-gigabit density products in addition to its 4-gigabit products. Spansion will ship samples in the first quarter of 2011 and will begin production in the second quarter of 2011. Both companies are also developing 3.0 V products and plan to develop 1-gigabit, 2-gigabit, and 4-gigabit products.