Usually when we want more of something, we have to add to it. For example, back in the day, batteries with larger capacities usually meant batteries that were physically larger. These days, silicon-carbon tech has allowed companies to create larger capacities while maintaining the same physical size. Now, it looks like Samsung has managed to achieve that with storage. Samsung has announced it has created the world’s first 900-layer storage chip.
Samsung creates 900-layer storage chip
We’re sure some of you are wondering, what is a 900-layer storage chip, and why did Samsung make it? More importantly, why does it matter?
This is because right now, modern NAND storage tech is created by stacking memory cells on top of each other. This is versus spreading them out across a chip. This allows companies to create more storage while maintaining a smaller physical footprint.Â
As it stands, SK Hynix has the highest layer-count lead with 321-layer 4D NAND chips, while Samsung is slightly behind at 286 layers. This is why Samsung’s new 900-layer storage chip is a huge deal, not just for the industry as a whole, but for the company’s reputation as well. That being said, it wasn’t exactly an easy process getting here.
This is because Samsung had to solve two problems: wafer warpage and microscopic bonding alignments. The former was addressed with a redesigned Upper Chuck system, while the latter was fixed with a new overlay correction technology, also known as Cell Multi-Bonding. But before you get too excited, note that this is currently a prototype. We’re not sure when we will see it commercialized, but at least it’s out there now.
Why does it matter?
For most of us, more storage means the ability to store more files, whether that’s on our computers or smartphones. However, there are wider implications and usage of this new tech.
For starters, it could be useful in the AI space. As some of you know, AI uses a lot of memory. It’s one of the reasons why the world is facing a memory crisis. By leveraging this new Samsung tech, companies could create enterprise SSDs with multi-terabyte capacities within a single drive bay. This means more storage that takes up less space. It could also mean storage that consumes less power per terabyte.
That being said, Samsung isn’t alone in racing to the 1000-layer V-NAND goal. Other companies from China and Japan are advancing their own multi-layer NAND designs. But for now, at least as far as prototypes are concerned, Samsung is well ahead of the curve.
The post Samsung Just Built the World’s First 900-Layer Storage Chip and It’s a Big Deal appeared first on Android Headlines.
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