Toshiba makes NAND breakthrough

Toshiba has developed its second generation 19nm process that will be applied to mass produce 2-bit-per-cell 64Gb NAND memory chips starting later this month. 

The process helped Toshiba develop the smallest 2-bit 64Gb NAND chips on the market, measuring just 94 square millimetres, making it slightly smaller than the average studio apartment in Tokyo.

The chips also incorporate a new high speed writing method, which means they can achieve write speeds of up to 25MB/s, making them the fastest chips in class. 

In addition to 2-bit-per-cell chips, Toshiba is also working on a 3-bit-per-cell design, using the same process technology. The company hopes to start mass production of these chips some time in the second quarter.

Initially they will be used in smartphones and tablets, but eventually they should also come to PCs, in the form of next generation SSDs.