SK Hynix Begins Mass Producing World’s First TLC-Based 321-Layer 4D NAND Flash

SK Hynix has been very active in producing its NAND flash with 321 layers and its latest 4D NAND increases the layer by 35%.

SK Hynix has started mass production of 4D NAND that brings 83 more layers compared to the previous 238-layer NAND, 321-Layer Flash

One of the leading memory and storage device manufacturers, SK Hynix has announced mass production of its flagship 321-layer TLC NAND. The company introduced this Triple-Level Cell NAND last year, featuring 1 TB memory chips for high storage solutions.

It was expected that this NAND would enter mass production in Q1 2025, but the company has begun it a few months before its scheduled date. As per SK Hynix, it’s the world’s first 321-high NAND that increases the layer count by 35% over its predecessor, improving the storage capacity drastically while enhancing reliability.

To achieve over 300 layers, SK Hynix deployed the “3 Plugs” process technology, which electrically connects the three plugs. In this process, vertical holes are created in the substrate layers to form memory cells. To ensure the wafer doesn’t suffer from deformation, a low-stress material is used and, with Alignment Correction Technology, better production accuracy is achieved.

As per SK Hynix, the 321-layer NAND offers 12% higher data transfer speeds, 13% improved read performance, and over 10% higher power efficiency for reading data to ensure the devices can achieve better battery life. With this, the company is able to achieve 59% higher productivity due to various optimizations in the manufacturing process.

SK hynix is on track to advancing to the Full Stack AI Memory Provider by adding a perfect portfolio in the ultra-high performance NAND space on top of the DRAM business led by HBM.

– Jungdal Choi, Head of NAND Development at SK Hynix

With the new 4D NAND, SK Hynix will be able to target AI-centric applications, particularly those that require low power. As AI demand is increasing rapidly, AI Data Centers relying on SSDs for high-speed data processing can leverage the potential of the 321-layer NAND.

With the launch of 321-layer NAND, the company is now ahead of Samsung and Micron, who are also actively competing against each other in delivering industry-leading NAND solutions.