Optane in the Chinese way: startup Numemory has created a 64-Gbit SCM-type memory chip

Wuhan-based Chinese semiconductor startup Numemory, also known as Xincun Technology, announced the creation of a 64-Gbit SCM (Storage Class Memory) memory chip NM101. The new product is 10 times faster than NAND chips in read and write speeds and 5 times faster in service life, reports the Blocks and Files resource. The IO speed of the chip is 3200 MT/s – the same as that of the Intel Optane PMem 200.

SCM occupies an intermediate place in the memory hierarchy between NAND and DRAM, combining both the bad and good sides of both. This is exactly what 3D XPoint memory was, offered by Intel under the Optane brand. Unfortunately, Intel and Micron have discontinued this type of memory, and the remaining alternatives are actually a form of SLC NAND.

Image source: Numemory

Numemory was founded in July 2022. It now has about 180 employees, 80% of whom are involved in research and development, and 60% with a master’s degree or higher qualification. In 2023, Numemory said it had a total of 273 patents, including 60 international and 213 registered in China.

Numemory has developed 3D Selector-Only Memory (SOM) technology using Phase-change memory with Crossbar architecture. 3D XPoint was built on exactly the same principles, but Numemory says its memory is significantly different. Numemory claims that SOM has low latency, good scalability (including vertical stacking available), long lifetime, etc.

According to the South China Morning Post, Numemory said drives built using SCM technology can offer data centers and cloud service providers a storage solution with large capacity, high density, high throughput and low latency.