Semiconductor giants Micron and Intel said Tuesday they were sampling the first NAND flash memory chips built on 50-nanometer processing technology.
The samples come from their companies' IM Flash Technologies joint venture and have a capacity of 4 gigabits.
Such 50 nm devices are expected to play a key role in new-generation consumer electronics and personal computers. The two companies said the NAND (Not AND) chip-market segment will be worth as much as $309 billion by the end of the decade.
"Our entry into the NAND flash business has been an incredibly fast ramp," said Intel Vice President Brian Harrison. "We're seeing very high demand across multiple flash densities. Working with Micron, we are poised to transition quickly to the 50 nm process technology and beyond."
Copyright 2006 by United Press International
