MLC-flash memory makes a deferred appearance

Sandisk and Toshiba's long-promised MLC (multilevel-cell) variant of the 512-Mbit NAND flash memory has finally emerged from the factory (see "Memory cards: designing with a full deck," EDN, May 25, 2000, pg 69). A comparison of the specifications of the conventional 512-Mbit and MLC-enabled 1-Gbit devices reveals the types of variations you've come to expect from other MLC technologies, such as Intel's (www.intel.com) NOR-based StrataFlash: larger blocks, slower per-byte programming times, and delayed random-read cycles (Table 1). Toshiba's 2.7 to 3.6V, $80 (one) TC58010FT in 48-lead TSOP packaging is now available in sample quantities, and both it and Sandisk's less-than-$800 MLC-based, 1-Gbyte CompactFlash card are scheduled to enter volume production in the first quarter of next year. Also in the first quarter, the two companies plan to make available for sampling a dual-die, 2-Gbit MLC-flash-memory chip.

Sandisk, 1-408-542-0500, www.sandisk.com.

Toshiba, 1-949-455-2000, www.toshiba.com/taec.