Samsung has officially announced plans to unveil its 9th Generation V-NAND memory with a layer count surpassing 300 by 2024. This new iteration is projected to have the industry's most significant number of active layers.
Jung-Bae Lee, the Head of Samsung's Memory Division, has confirmed the 2024 debut of this ninth-gen 3D V-NAND. Mass production is expected to begin in the early part of 2025. While the exact number of layers hasn't been specified, the CEO did reference a "double-stack structure."
An increase in the number of layers directly contributes to a higher memory chip capacity. This makes it feasible for Samsung to manufacture SSDs with advanced storage capabilities. As the layer count rises, the production costs per terabyte are likely to decrease correspondingly. Compared to existing 3D NAND memories, Samsung's forthcoming technology suggests a commitment to surpassing competitors in terms of active layer counts. For context, SK Hynix's upcoming 3D NAND is predicted to have 321 active layers.
Higher layer counts enhance the storage density of Samsung's 3D NAND devices. This leads to benefits in both storage capacity and performance. Given the industry's movement towards sub-10-nanometer (nm) DRAM and the potential for 1,000-layer vertical V-NAND, innovations in structure and materials are becoming crucial. Samsung's approach includes focusing on 3D stacked structures and new materials for DRAM.
Concurrently, Samsung is making strides in developing 11nm-class DRAM, setting its sights on unmatched density levels. The 9th-generation V-NAND, rooted in a state-of-the-art double-stack structure, is in its final stages of development, preparing for mass production at the dawn of the following year.
