Kioxia has begun sample shipments of 1Tb triple-level-cell memory devices built with its 10th-generation BiCS FLASH 3D flash memory technology. The move underscores the race to supply higher-capacity, lower-power storage for AI systems, data centers, and enterprise customers worldwide as demand for advanced memory continues to rise.
The devices are intended primarily for enterprise and data center SSDs, where Kioxia said they are designed to improve performance, increase capacity, and reduce power consumption. The company said manufacturing is taking place at its Kitakami Plant Fab2 facility in Iwate Prefecture, Japan.
Kioxia said the new generation uses CMOS directly bonded to array technology and on-pitch select gate drain technology, both of which have been part of its BiCS FLASH platform since the eighth generation. The company said the technology delivers a NAND interface speed of 4.8Gb/s, up 33% from the eighth generation.
The company also said the bit density has increased by 59% through stacking 332 layers and improving lateral density. It added that write power efficiency has improved by 18%, while read power efficiency has improved by 30%, which could help lower energy use in data centers and enterprise infrastructure.
Kioxia said its strategy is to develop two product lines in parallel. Its ninth-generation products aim to deliver high performance at relatively low investment costs, while its 10th-generation technology focuses on achieving greater capacity and stronger performance through advanced layer stacking.
The company said the samples are being shipped for functional checks and that the specifications may differ in mass production.
Article edited by Jack Wu
