Intel Corp. and Micron Technology Inc. have regained the process technology lead in NAND flash, by rolling out the first in a family of 25-nm devices.
The first 25-nm NAND device is a multi-level-cell (MLC), 8-GB device, which is said to reduce IC count by 50 percent over previous products. With the device, measuring 167-mm2, the Intel-Micron duo will retake the NAND process lead over the SanDisk-Toshiba duo and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., which have recently announced 32-nm and 30-nm products, respectively. Another player, Hynix Semiconductor Inc., has a 26-nm device waiting in the wings.