3D flash memory hits 4.8 Gb/s NAND interface speed
Unveiled at ISSCC 2025, KIOXIA and Sandisk have developed a state-of-the-art 3D flash memory technology with a 4.8Gb/s NAND interface speed, superior power efficiency, and heightened density.
The 3D flash memory uses a revolutionary CBA (CMOS directly Bonded to Array) technology, where each CMOS wafer and cell array wafer are manufactured separately in their optimised condition and then bonded together. The memory incorporates one of the latest interface standards, Toggle DDR6.0, for NAND flash memory. The interface uses the SCA (Separate Command Address) protocol, a novel command address input method. Here, the bus for Command/Address input and the bus for data transfer are separated and used in parallel, reducing data input/output time. The 3D memory also leverages PI-LTT (Power Isolated Low-Tapped Termination) technology, which reduces power consumption.
KIOXIA and Sandisk expect the new 3D flash memory to achieve a 33 percent improvement in NAND interface speed compared with their 8th generation 3D flash memory currently in mass production, reaching a 4.8Gb/s interface speed. The technology can also deliver enhanced power efficiency for data input/output, reducing power consumption by 10 percent for input and 34 percent for output. In a preview of the 10th generation 3D flash memory, the partners showed that by increasing the number of memory layers to 332 and optimising the floor plan for increased planar density, the technology improves bit density by 59 percent.
“Next to the demand for increased power efficiency in data centres, data generation is set to vastly increase, driven by new AI technology-driven applications, with sophisticated operations such as inference at the edge and the application of transfer learning techniques further compounding storage requirements,” comments Axel Stoermann, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, KIOXIA Europe GmbH. “KIOXIA continues to lay the groundwork supporting these storage requirements of the future: higher speeds, larger capacity and lower power consumption.”
SVP of Global Strategy and Technology at Sandisk, Alper Ilkbahar, said, “As AI advances, customer needs for memory are becoming increasingly diverse. Through our CBA technology innovation, we aim to launch products that deliver the best mix in terms of capacity, speed, performance, and capital efficiency to cater to our customers across market segments.”
KIOXIA and Sandisk also shared plans for the upcoming 9th generation 3D flash memory. CBA technology can be combined with an existing memory cell technology to deliver capital-efficient, high-performance, low-power products.
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