NAND Flash Memory - Key Element For Your Multi-Die Systems Verification - Part 1

By _Synopsys: VIP Experts Blog

May 9, 2023

Introduction to NAND Flash Memory

• NAND non-volatile storage is the technology that enables solid-state drives (SSDs), mobile phone storage, embedded memory cards, USB devices, and much more
• In Comparison to RAM (e.g., DRAM, SRAM), Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) retains the data it contains while being powered down
• NVMs are appealing to industrial users, since they require a storage solution that can help to protect the data even if there is a power outage

Types of NAND Flash

The bit density on the NAND flash has evolved over time. Earlier NAND devices were Single Level Cell (SLC) flash. This suggests every flash cell stores one single bit. With Multi Level Cell (MLC), flash can store two or more bits per cell, therefore the bit density gets increased. Sounds great but with MLC there are downsides as well: with MLC NAND, allowing multiple electrical states can also lead to higher error rate and lower endurance. A few devices allow you to modify into a pseudo-SLC (PSLC) mode on parts of (or) all the storage.

This may reduce the dimensions of the storage whereas the endurance of the device gets increased. Since the worth of Flash depends on its die area, Flash would be more cost effective if more data are often stored within an equivalent area. There are four main sorts of NAND Flash: Single Level Cell (SLC), Multi-Level Cell (MLC), Triple Level Cell (TLC) and quad level cell (QLC).

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