February 16, 2005 – Samsung Electronics said Tuesday it will launch what it claims is the world’s first commercial production of 70nm design rule-applied 4-gigabit NAND flash memory chips next month, reported the Korea Times. The chip vendor will also kick-start its first 300mm wafer flash memory production line in July.

Compared to 90nm etching technology, the 70nm process will allow Samsung to cut costs by producing about 40% more flash memory chips from a single silicon wafer.

The global chipmaker plans to boost production of 70nm design rule-applied chips to 5% of total NAND flash memory output by the end of March and to 10-15% before July. Currently, 90% of Samsung’s NAND flash memories are produced with the 90nm.

Samsung Electronics also began installing the 300mm wafer production equipment in its No. 14 semiconductor line in its Kihung complex, about 50km south of Seoul, earlier this month. Commercial operation of the No. 14 line is scheduled for July.

The company’s No. 14 line will start off with a monthly production capacity of 7000 sheets of 300mm wafers and boost capacity to 15,000 sheets by year’s end, with ultimate capacity set for 50,000 sheets.