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SMIC closer to entering flash memory market |
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Jul 03, 2007 at 02:06 PM |
 Saifun Semiconductors, SMIC's NROM flash IP provider, has said that the China-based foundry is sampling a 90nm version of its design with volume production due later in the year. The SMIC Data (NAND) flash product is a 2Gb with a Quad NROM four-bit-per-cell technology with an 8Gb density due to be released in early 2008, according to Saifun.
"We see great potential with NROM technology. The development of the first NROM product is just the beginning of the successful cooperation with Saifun," stated Dr. Richard Chang, CEO of SMIC. "This agreement further cements our partnership to penetrate the NAND Flash market."
SMIC is preparing to ramp the 90nm device at a new 300mm facility owned and funded by a Chinese Regional Government while SMIC will operate the facility.
Although NROM production is initially under SMIC's own label, Saifun has said that it has now taken a license from SMIC for its 90nm process technology that will assist both companies in attracting other potential customers to use both companies' IPs in the key non-volatile memory markets of code, data and embedded.
The move by Saifun and SMIC could also attract mainstream NROM flash producers such as Spansion to use SMIC as a foundry in the future as well as offer embedded solutions to Japanese chip manufacturers. Such a move would also assist SMIC in cost reduction strategies with higher levels of capacity utilization in a highly competitive market.
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