SST, Powerchip team up to take 'SuperFlash' to 65-nm

SST, Powerchip team up to take 'SuperFlash' to 65-nm
SUNNYVALE, Calif. — Non-volatile memory developer Silicon Storage Technology Inc. (SST) has teamed up with Taiwanese DRAM maker Powerchip Semiconductor Corp. to develop a third generation of SST's SuperFlash memory, the company said Monday (Dec. 1).

The self-aligned, third-generation SuperFlash cell is being based on a 110-nanometer manufacturing process at Powerchip with plans to scale it down to 90-nm and 65-nm production nodes.

The first product under development is a 2-Gbit memory with pin-outs and electrical specifications compatible with industry-standard NAND products. SST and PSC plan to complete development during 2004 and prepare for volume production of a 2-Gbit product in 2005.

Both companies have agreed to utilize Powerchip's 300-mm wafer fab to produce SST-branded products and Powerchip-branded licensed data storage products. SST will collect royalty from Powerchip based on the sales of the Powerchip-brand SuperFlash products, SST said.

SST has licensed previous generations of SuperFlash memory to IBM, Motorola, NEC, Samsung, Toshiba and TSMC. The first-generation SuperFlash, introduced in 1993, has been in volume production covering memory densities from 256-Kbits to 16-Mbits. The second-generation of SuperFlash, which started production earlier this year, is intended to cover memory densities up to 256-Mbits. The third-generation SuperFlash, under development since 2002, is expected to cover memory densities from 256-Mbit to 16-Gbits.

"Our third-generation SuperFlash technology is a critical element in enabling NOR flash memory to achieve the densities and speeds required to effectively compete in the data storage and other high-density markets typically dominated by NAND flash memories," said Bing Yeh, president and chief executive officer of SST, in a statement. "Through our development partnership with Powerchip, we believe we will be able to extend our cost-effective, scalable technology to deep sub-micron levels and deliver the density and performance our customers will need for the next wave of consumer and communication products. We believe the flash data storage market will become a bigger market than DRAM," he added.

"With our volume proven advanced 300-mm fab and our growing world-class foundry service arm, our semiconductor production expertise is second to none," said Frank Huang, chairman of Powerchip, in the same statement.