YMTC is poised to become a tech leader in its market segment after releasing ‘the first 200+ layer 3D NAND Flash’ chip on the market, ahead of rivals Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron.
Chip maker Yangtze Memory Technologies Co’s latest innovation, built with its Xtacking system, was found being used in a solid-state drive from Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co. Photo: Shutterstock
That conclusion was reached by TechInsights, a Canadian semiconductor and microelectronics intelligence provider, after it found that YMTC has introduced “the first 200+ layer 3D NAND Flash available on the market”, ahead of the industry’s leading memory chip makersSamsung Electronics,SK HynixandMicron Technology.
“At their current rate of innovation, YMTC is poised to be the uncontested global NAND Flash technology leader before 2030,” TechInsights said in the report published this week. NAND Flash is a type of non-volatile storage technology that retains data even without power, which has made it ideal for many electronics devices such assmartphones, tablets, laptop computers and solid-state drives (SSDs).
Proof of YMTC’s latest NAND Flash innovation, described in the report as Xtacking 3.0, was found in November by TechInsights, which performed reverse engineering analysis on a 2-terabyte SSD from Chinese surveillance camera makerHangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co.
A birdseye view of chip maker Yangtze Memory Technologies Co’s headquarters and main manufacturing complex in Wuhan, capital of central Hubei province. Photo: Handout
Founded in 2016, YMTC was credited in the report for producing “a 232-layer NAND Flash, ahead of its rivals”. This advanced technology makes the Chinese firm a “serious contender” that is “closing in on the global memory giants”, despiteCovid-19 lockdowns in China, geopolitical challenges and US trade sanctions.
The advantages of YMTC’s latest accomplishment include greater storage and shortened development through its Xtacking system.
“In YMTC’s Xtacking, the memory array is flipped and bonded to the CMOS [complimentary metal-oxide semiconductor transistor],” the report said. “This approach, YMTC claims, reduces product development time by at least three months, and shortens the manufacturing cycle time by 20 per cent.”
YMTC declined to comment. The company has not officially released its 232-layer memory chip.
Despite its achievements, “YMTC still faces an uphill battle” because recent actions by Washington could significantly impact the company’s “ability to produce devices at scale, and to progress quickly to the next generation”, the TechInsights report said.
The latest US restrictions and the risk of being put under Washington’s trade blacklist reflects the major challenges faced by YMTC, which was reportedlydropped by Apple as a memory chip supplier.
2 TIMES A WEEK
Coronavirus Update
Our coronavirus dedicated newsletter, following the ongoing developments and recovery from the global pandemic with stories on Hong Kong, Asia and the world.
TheBureau of Industry and Security(BIS), an agency under the US Department of Commerce, on October 7 implemented updates that further restrict China’s ability to obtain advanced computing chips, develop and maintain supercomputers, and manufacture advanced semiconductors used in military applications, including weapons of mass destruction.
The BIS also updated policies related to theUnverified Listand the US export blacklist, known officially as the Entity List. The BIS will add parties to the Unverified List 60 days after checks are requested, but a host government’s inaction would prevent their completion. YMTC and 30 other Chinese semiconductor entitieswere added to the Unverified List.
In an apparent signal to Washington, YMTC issued a statement in late October saying it was compliant around the world. “We’ve always adhered to the principle of legal and compliant operation across the globe since establishment,” the company said.
Still, more challenges lie ahead, according to analysts.
“The latest US sanctions created huge difficulties in [acquiring] semiconductor equipment for YMTC to add production capacity and advance its technology,” said He Hui, semiconductor research director at independent tech consultancy Omdia. She suggested that the BIS could “freeze YMTC’s technology [development] at its current levels” if the US agency continues to tighten its scrutiny of the company.
