Western Digital announces that they have developed 64-layer TLC NAND memories with a total capacity of 512GB per module, which could reduce the memory shortage on the market.
We have learned that Micron is already working on 3-layer 64D NAND memories, which were the most compact in the world. Western Digital did not want to be left behind in the production of the first version of 64 layers of 512GB TLC NAND memories. This development and production by WD of 64-layer NAND memories is already in the Yokkaichi factory in Japan, jointly operated by Toshiba.
WD and Toshiba have worked hard to upgrade 48-layer 3D NAND memory to 128GB capacity, important in the face of the rampant shortage of NAND memory. WD and Toshiba are not the only vendors in the production of 3D NAND memory with problems, Samsung is also experiencing problems in the commercialization of 48-layer NAND products. Last year WD already announced the move to 64 layers of 256GB NAND BiCS3 3D, which is also in short supply. WD refers to these 512GB modules as BiCS3, which uses the same architecture as the previous version.
The upgrade at the Yokkaichi factory is the biggest NAND. The current production of this factory, according to the analysts, is two million products per day, therefore, the analyzes suggest that the current NAND will not decrease until the amount of 3D NAND memories are mass-produced. WD's press release has indicated that the company is in the pilot production phase of 64 TLC NAND layers, but there is no data on when these memories will be released in large-scale production and distribution.
Toshiba and WD are associated, for WD's purchase of SanDisk. WD's NAND memory production capacity gives it a privileged position in the SSD market, all due to scandals and investments that have rained down on Toshiba. This has caused Toshiba to have been forced to reduce its business in semiconductors and turn them into its own brand. This measure allows Toshiba to sell 20% of its stake in the business to investors, thus raising the capital of the company to rescue it. WD would be the one who has put the money for the business, but it has not been confirmed.
Despite Toshiba's problems, they continue with their semiconductor roadmap. 3D NAND memories present challenges, especially in high compression processing, but density is the key to solving the NAND memory shortage. Western Digital, for its part, would present the technical document on compression and improvements made at the International Solid State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) that starts tomorrow.
