Micron has introduced a new class of NAND flash memory that boasts advanced, on-board error management techniques.
The next-gen ClearNAND is expected to find its way into enterprise servers, tablet PCs, portable media players and other consumer-oriented devices.
So, how does ClearNAND work?
Well, the modules utilize a traditional raw NAND interface that includes new features optimized for high-capacity and high-performance applications.
“As the industry progresses past 20-nanometer (nm), flash management gets more challenging because the amount of bit errors increases dramatically, impacting NAND performance and reliability,” explained Micron VP Glen Hawk.
“By tightly coupling the error management with the NAND devices in a single package, Micron’s customers can continue to take advantage of the highest capacity and lowest cost-per-bit flash memory solution.”
According to Hawk, Micron’s ClearNAND products are (currently) designed using a 25nm multi-level cell (MLC) process in two iterations: standard and enhanced.
The standard ClearNAND products – sold in 8 to 32 gigabyte (GB) packages – are optimized for portable media players.
The NAND effectively removes the error correction code (ECC) burden from the host processor with minimal protocol changes compared to raw NAND.
Similarly, enhanced ClearNAND modules (16-64GB) remove the ECC burden from the host processor, while providing new enterprise specific features to enable high-capacity designs.
