December 3, 2009 – Samsung says it has ramped to volume production on a "30nm-class" 3-bit multilevel cell (MLC) NAND flash memory device, to be used in modules with the company’s 3-bit NAND controllers initially for 8GB microSD memory cards.

The devices offer 50% more efficient data storage than current 2-bit MLC NAND chips, the company says. Reaching mass production is expected to raise NAND flash’s usage for higher density (≥32Gb) memory for more storage-intensive applications like video usage.

Toward that end, Samsung said it is also ramping a "30nm-class" asynchronous double-data rate (DDR) MLC NAND memory, shipping in initial volumes to OEMs in November. The devices read at 133Mbps, more than 3× the performance of single-data rate MLC NAND (40Mbps).

"With the new DDR MLC NAND, double data rate transmission can be achieved without increasing power consumption, giving designers a lot more latitude in introducing diverse CE devices, noted Soo-In Cho, EVP/GM of Samsung Electronics’ memory division, in a statement. It also will be targeted for solid-state storage in PCs, memory cards for smart phones, various mobile devices (personal media players, MP3 players, car navigation systems) and in Samsung’s proprietary moviNAND memory.