Intel, Micron introduce revolutionary 3D XPoint memory

The Companys product include NAND Flash Memory, Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) and NOR Flash Memory.

Intel and Micron presented the first wafer of the new technology – which is being produced at a facility in Utah. We’ve also heard of the Phase Change storage technology from IBM which promised similarly impressive speeds and capacities. In fact, it’s been over 25 years since the last mainstream memory technology was released.

Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) witnessed a decline in the market cap on Friday as its shares dropped 1.93% or 0.36 points.

Intel and Micron Technology announced 3D XPoint memory process technology for devices, applications or services.

This is the largest shift to hit memory technology since the advent of NAND flash in 1989.

We’re told “NAND latency is measured in microseconds, and 3D XPoint technology latency is measured in nanoseconds (one-billionth of a second)”. These chips would reportedly offer a 1,000 times better performance than their predecessor the NAND flash memory chips. Unlike DRAMs, they will be able to retain the data even when they are turned off. According to Intel’s senior vice president of non-volatile memory solutions Rob Croke, the 3D Xpoint memory incorporates features of both NAND and DRAM. This is a new class of memory that can be used both as system memory as well as nonvolatile storage.

“One of the most significant hurdles in modern computing is the time it takes the processor to reach data on long-term storage”, said Mark Adams, president of Micron. “This new class of non-volatile memory is a revolutionary technology that allows for quick access to enormous data sets and enables entirely new applications”.

The explosion of connected devices and digital services is generating massive amounts of new data. Intel singled out fraud detection and disease tracking as likely early applications, but said the chip could also be used to power more immersive gaming experiences if brought to the PC. That can all happen quickly, and it is interconnected by metal lines that allow for fast access and activation, which creates a much different and higher performance architecture.

As the name implies, 3D XPoint memory is a unique cell architecture that is a crosspoint memory that can be stacked.

This allows data to be written and read in small sizes, which in turn leads to faster and more efficient read and write processes. While 3-D stacking has been around for more than a decade, Intel and Micron said they developed a “cross point structure” in which perpendicular wires connect submicron columns. The new 3D XPoint memory will combine the performance, power, density, non-volatility, and costs savings of all the memory technologies that current exist. This compact structure results in high performance and high-density bits. “Other memory technologies would do two of three things really well”, Duncan explained. By contrast, DRAM technology requires a transistor at each memory cell, adding to the chip’s size and cost.

3D XPoint technology will sample later this year with select customers, and Intel and Micron are developing individual products based on the technology.