Toshiba and SanDisk Introduce a One Gigabit NAND Flash Memory Chip, Doubling Capacity of Future Flash Products.Business Editors/High Tech Writers COMDEX The former, premier computer trade show in the U.S. Although it grew into an end user event, it was originally created for dealers and distributors (it was the COMputer Dealers EXposition). Fall 2001 LAS VEGAS Las Vegas (läs vā`gəs), city (1990 pop. 258,295), seat of Clark co., S Nev.; inc. 1911. It is the largest city in Nevada and the center of one of the fastest-growing urban areas in the United States. & TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 12, 2001 World's First Commercial One Gbit NAND Flash See flash memory. Chip Using Multi-Level Cell Technology Toshiba Corporation and SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ NASDAQ in full National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations U.S. market for over-the-counter securities. Established in 1971 by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), NASDAQ is an automated quotation system that reports on :SNDK) jointly introduced today the world's first commercial one gigabit (1Gbit, or 1024Megabit)) NAND flash memory chip, a new generation of flash memory that effectively doubles the amount of storage that the two companies can put in their flash memory cards. The new 1Gbit flash chip will be manufactured on the same 0.16 micron process technology that is currently used in the production of the 512Megabit NAND (Not AND) A Boolean logic operation that is true if any single input is false. Two-input NAND gates are often used as the sole logic element on gate array chips, because all Boolean operations can be created from NAND gates. See flash memory. . It is based on the patented multi-level cell (MLC (MultiLevel Cell) A flash memory technology that stores more than one bit per cell. Traditional flash memory defines a 0 or 1 bit based on a single voltage threshold. ) technology pioneered by SanDisk that allows two bits of data to be stored in one memory cell, doubling memory capacity. This commercialization of NAND MLC flash is viewed by both companies as a crucial step for improving margins, expanding existing markets and enabling new markets for flash memory data storage. The announcement was made at the COMDEX 2001 trade show where SanDisk is showing products at the Las Vegas Hilton The Las Vegas Hilton is a hotel, casino, and convention center in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is a joint venture between Colony Capital, which owns 60 percent, and New York City-based REIT Whitehall Street Real Estate Funds, which owns the remaining 40 percent. Hotel, Conference Room 10. Two 1Gbit dies also can be stacked in a single TSOP (Thin Small Outline Package) A very thin, plastic, rectangular surface mount chip package with gull-wing pins on its two short sides. TSOPs are about a third as thick as SOJ chips. See gull-wing lead, SOP, SOJ and chip package. (Thin Small Outline Package) to produce 2Gbits or 256 Megabytes of memory. Use of the MLC technology, either as embedded chips or in removable cards, is expected to greatly expand the data storage capabilities of cell phones, digital cameras, MP3 audio players, streaming audio and streaming video. Both companies will independently market the chips to their respective customers. It is expected that new CompactFlash(TM), MultiMediaCard and Secure Digital card See SD Card. products based on the 1Gbit flash memory chip will commence production in the first half of 2002. On Nov. 5, 2001, SanDisk introduced a 1 Gigabyte CompactFlash card, the first product using the 1Gbit NAND, MLC technology. Takeshi Nakagawa, Corporate Senior Vice President, President and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of Toshiba Semiconductor Company, said, "Collaboration with SanDisk has brought brilliant success in the NAND flash arena. With this gigabit MLC flash technology, we take a significant step towards a core element of strategic vision for our flash business: to provide the highest capacity flash memory with the lowest cost per bit in the market. This MLC NAND flash product will rapidly expand demand for embedded flash storage as well as flash-based media cards. It is a great pleasure to introduce fruits obtained through the efforts of Toshiba and SanDisk." Eli Harari, CEO and President of SanDisk, said, "This announcement represents a technological breakthrough and a crowning achievement for the many Toshiba and SanDisk personnel who have worked so closely together on this project for many months. This MLC gigabit technology should provide both SanDisk and Toshiba with a highly competitive cost structure. Toshiba, with its superb process technology and manufacturing prowess, has proven to be a highly strategic and valued partner for SanDisk in our continuing quest to accelerate our flash technology roadmap and expand the markets for our flash storage products in the years ahead." The 1Gbit NAND memory chips will be produced for both companies using 0.16 micron process technology in Toshiba's advanced fabrication fabrication (fab´rikā´sh  n),n the construction or making of a restoration. production facility at Yokkaichi, Japan, and at the Dominion Semiconductor manufacturing plant in Virginia under the FlashVision Joint Venture established by Toshiba and SanDisk. The two companies expect to apply the MLC technology to chip capacities below 1Gbit, as well as to future generations of NAND flash with capacities beyond 1Gbit. The MLC gigabit flash chip employs new advanced concepts and operational algorithms that greatly increase MLC write speed, thereby enabling the MLC chip to deliver essentially the same performance as standard NAND chips. About SanDisk Corporation SanDisk Corporation, the world's largest supplier of flash data storage products, designs, manufactures and markets industry-standard, solid-state data, digital imaging and audio storage products using its patented, high density flash memory and controller technology. SanDisk is based in Sunnyvale, CA. About Toshiba Corporation Toshiba Corporation is a leader in information and communications systems, electronic components, consumer products, and power systems. The company's integration of these wide-ranging capabilities assures its position as an innovator in advanced components, products, and systems. Toshiba has 188,000 employees worldwide, and annual sales of over US$47 billion. Visit Toshiba's website at http://www.toshiba.co.jp The matters discussed in this news release contain forward looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties as described under the caption, "Factors That May Affect Future Results" in the company's annual report on Form 10-K Form 10-K A report required by the SEC from exchange-listed companies that provides for annual disclosure of certain financial information. Form 10-K See 10-K. and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q Form 10-Q See 10-Q. , filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The companies assume no obligation to update the information in this release. SanDisk's web site/home page address: http://www.sandisk.com |
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