By integrating error management techniques in the same NAND package, Micron Technology's new ClearNAND devices alleviate the challenges traditionally found in NAND process shrinks, according to the memory vendor. The Micron ClearNAND portfolio extends the opportunities for more advanced NAND process generations to be used in enterprise servers, tablet PCs, portable media players and other consumer applications.
Micron's ClearNAND products are first designed using its 25nm multi-level cell (MLC) process, and are available in two versions: Standard and Enhanced.
Standard ClearNAND products come in 8GB to 32GB packages, and are intended to remove the error correction code (ECC) burden from the host processor with minimal protocol changes compared to raw NAND. The portfolio is targeted for portable media players and other consumer electronic devices.
Enhanced ClearNAND products, in addition to removing the ECC burden from the host processor, also provide new enterprise specific features to enable high-capacity designs, delivering improved performance and reliability. Capacities are available in 16GB to 64GB packages. The lineup is targeted at enterprise and computing applications, and allows 25nm MLC NAND to be used in these applications for the first time.
Both Micron Standard ClearNAND and Enhanced ClearNAND products are available now, according to the company.
"The pace of NAND scaling is largely responsible for the incredible growth and success the industry has seen to date, and for helping to create new flash-based storage solutions," said Glen Hawk, vice president of Micron's NAND Solutions Group. "While the advantages in NAND scaling are evident, so are the challenges with the technology becoming increasingly more difficult to manage. Micron's ClearNAND products remove this management burden for our customers and extend the life of this all-important technology."