SK hynix launched mass production of the world’s first 321-layer NAND flash memory

As prices for flash memory rose, its manufacturers perked up and began to talk about further plans to improve the technologies for its production. SK hynix announced this week that it is beginning mass production of the world’s first 321-layer 3D NAND memory (the company itself calls it 4D NAND), which it will begin shipping to customers in the next half of the year.

Image Source: SK Hynix

As a leader in the HBM segment demanded by AI accelerators, SK hynix now claims to be a “full-cycle supplier” of memory for artificial intelligence systems. It recalls that in June last year it became the world’s first supplier of 238-layer NAND memory, and now, through the use of advanced technologies for installing stacks inside the chip, it is the first to overcome the 300-layer mark. Customers will begin receiving terabit 321-layer 3D NAND memory chips in the first half of 2025.

Progress in increasing the number of memory layers has been achieved through improved technology for creating vertical channels and the use of a material with greater mechanical stability. At the same time, the 321-layer memory was developed on the same platform as the 238-layer memory. The transition to a new generation of products will increase production productivity by 59% with minimal risks.

In addition, the new generation of memory increases data transfer speed by 12% and improves read speed by 13%, while the energy efficiency of these operations increases by more than 10%. Such chips will become a good basis for modern high-speed solid-state drives used in artificial intelligence systems.