Japanese memory giant Kioxia says it has begun sampling shipments of 2TB QLC devices, using its eighth-generation 3D BiCS FLASH flash memory technology.
This new chip will be used in SSDs, servers and other forms of digital storage hardware that require high-capacity, high-efficiency memory components.
Kioxia’s BiCS FLASH technology expands the memory array vertically and laterally, while the integration of CBA (directly bonded CMOS) technology enables denser memory and interface speeds of up to 3.6 Gbps. The new product features approximately 2.3 times higher bit density than Kioxia’s previous fifth-generation QLC device and 70% higher write power efficiency. Featuring a 16-die stacked architecture in a single memory package, Kioxia claims its new QLC device can achieve 4 TB capacities.
Pure Storage to adopt technology
Hideshi Miyajima, Chief Technology Officer at Kioxia, said: “With its industry-leading high bit density, high-speed data transfer and superior power efficiency, the 2TB QLC product will deliver new value for rapidly emerging AI applications and large storage applications that demand power and space savings.”
Pure’s DirectFlash Module (DFM) storage (which allows all-flash arrays to communicate directly with raw flash storage) already offers improved density and efficiency, as well as longer lifespans compared to SSDs. The company has previously said it will launch 150TB DFMs in 2025, with a goal of shipping 300TB DFMs by 2026. Incorporating Kioxia’s technology into its products will help achieve that goal.
Kioxia has also added a new 1TB QLC memory device to its portfolio. Compared to the 2TB QLC, the 1TB device offers approximately 30% faster sequential write performance and around 15% improvement in read latency, and will be used in high-performance applications including client SSDs and mobile devices.
Charles Giancarlo, CEO of Pure Storage, said: “We have a long-standing relationship with Kioxia and are excited to add their 8th Gen BiCS FLASH 2Tb QLC flash storage products to enhance the performance and efficiency of our all-flash storage solutions. Pure’s unified all-flash data storage platform can meet the demanding needs of AI as well as the aggressive costs of backup storage.”
