Kioxia’s BiCS8 FLASH 2Tb QLC: The New Frontier of Memory Storage

Kioxia has announced the launch of its BiCS8 FLASH 2Tb QLC (Quad-Level Cell) memory, based on the eighth generation of BiCS FLASH 3D technology, with samples already being distributed. Boasting the industry’s largest 2Tb (256GB) capacity, this advancement elevates memory storage to new heights and is poised to drive growth in various application domains, including artificial intelligence (AI).

Kioxia states that the BiCS8 FLASH 2Tb QLC NAND memory leverages its latest technology, achieving a balance of vertical and horizontal scaling of storage chips through proprietary processes and innovative architecture. The introduction of the CBA (CMOS directly Bonded to Array) technology, co-developed with Western Digital, involves manufacturing each CMOS wafer and cell array wafer individually at their optimal states before bonding them together. This technique enhances bit density and delivers industry-leading NAND I/O interface speeds of 3.6Gbps.

Compared to the fifth-generation BiCS FLASH QLC memory products, the eighth-generation BiCS FLASH 2Tb QLC memory increases bit density by approximately 2.3 times and improves write efficiency by about 70%. Additionally, the new QLC product architecture can stack 16 chips within a single memory package, offering a 4TB capacity in a more compact design with dimensions of only 11.5 x 13.5 mm and a height of 1.5 mm. This means a single NAND flash chip can achieve a 4TB capacity, and a single-sided M.2 SSD equipped with two such chips can reach 8TB.

Beyond the 2Tb QLC memory, Kioxia has also introduced a higher-performance 1Tb QLC memory. According to Kioxia, the 1Tb QLC memory enhances sequential write performance by approximately 30% and reduces read latency by about 15% compared to the 2Tb QLC memory, making it more suitable for high-performance applications, including client SSDs and mobile devices.