Samsung Electronics has introduced a solid state drive (SSD) based on its 3D V-NAND technology. The new SSD, unveiled during a keynote at the Flash Memory Summit 2013 in California, is designed for use in enterprise servers and data centers. Samsung's V-NAND SSD comes in 960GB and 480GB versions. The 960GB version offers more than 20% increase in sequential and random write speeds by utilizing 64 dies of MLC 3D V-NAND flash, each offering 128Gb of storage, with a six-gigabit-per-second SATA interface controller. The new V-NAND SSD also offers 35K program erase cycles and is available in a 2.5-inch form factor with x, y and z-heights of 10cm, 7cm and 7mm, which provides server manufacturers with more design flexibility and scalability. Samsung's 3D V-NAND technology achieves manufacturing productivity improvements over twice that of 20nm-class planar NAND flash, by using cylinder-shaped 3D Charge Trap Flash cell structures and vertical interconnect process technology to link the 24 layers comprising the 3D cell array.

KLA-Tencor has announced the new 2910 series optical wafer defect inspection platform with NanoPoint technology and the new eDR-7100 electron-beam wafer defect review system. Meeting IC manufacturers' need for accelerated defect sourcing on advanced devices, these two tools combine increased speed with seamless connectivity to find and identify defects that inhibit yield and reliability. The 2910 series' improved defect capture and the eDR-7100's enhanced review resolution have been demonstrated by detecting and imaging unique defects located at the bottom of three-dimensional or vertical pattern structures such as FinFETs. Multiple 2910 series optical inspection tools, configured as either the 2910 or 2915, and eDR-7100 e-beam review tools have been installed at leading IC manufacturers where they are being used for new technology development and ramp, according to the company.