Samsung Electronics, a global leader in memory technology, has started production for its one-terabit (Tb) quad-level cell (QLC) 9th-generation vertical NAND (V-NAND).
This follows the company’s earlier launch of triple-level cell (TLC) 9th-generation V-NAND in April 2024, reinforcing its dominance in the high-performance NAND flash market.
The new QLC V-NAND technology enables Samsung to provide a complete range of solid-state drive (SSD) solutions catering to the growing demand for AI-driven applications.
The QLC V-NAND showcases several technological breakthroughs, including:
Channel Hole Etching: Achieving the highest layer count with a double stack structure, leading to 86 percent higher bit density compared to previous versions.
Designed Mold technology: Ensuring uniformity of cell characteristics and improving data retention by 20 percent.
Predictive Program technology: Enhancing write performance and data speeds while minimizing unnecessary cell actions.
Low-Power Design: Reducing data read and write power consumption by 30 percent and 50 percent, respectively, further optimizing energy efficiency.
SungHoi Hur, Executive Vice President and Head of Flash Product & Technology at Samsung Electronics, highlighted the importance of the development: “As the enterprise SSD market shows rapid growth with stronger demand for AI applications, we will continue to solidify our leadership in the segment through our QLC and TLC 9th-generation V-NAND.”
Samsung plans to integrate the QLC V-NAND into various consumer and enterprise products, including branded consumer SSDs, mobile Universal Flash Storage (UFS), PCs, and server SSDs, targeting cloud service providers.
Samsung’s Q2 revenue from NAND Flash business has hit $6.2 billion, up 14.8 percent QoQ, driven by a 20 percent rise in ASP for enterprise storage products, despite a minor dip in NAND Flash bit shipments, TrendForce said.
Baburajan Kizhakedath
