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SanDisk Introduces World's First 80 Megabit Flash Chip; Chip
Uses 2nd Generation Double Density Technology
by Business Editors & Computer Writers
Oct 28 1997 11:51AM CST, BUSINESS WIRE
SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 28, 1997--
Key Advance Accomplished Through Separate Joint
Development Programs with Matsushita and NEC
SanDisk Also Announces New, Significantly Higher Capacity
Flash Storage Products Using the 80 Megabit Flash Chip
SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK), announced today that it has completed development of the
world's first Double Density 80 megabit flash chip. The accomplishment was made possible following two
separate 80 megabit joint development programs that SanDisk worked on with Matsushita Electronics
Corp. (MEC) and NEC Corp. When SanDisk commences product shipments, currently planned for
mid-1998, the chip will allow the company to lower flash prices and significantly increase the capacity of
all SanDisk flash storage products. The capacity of CompactFlash (CF) memory cards will be more than
doubled to 60 megabytes with the 80 megabit chip while the capacity of other products also will be
substantially increased.
This Double Density 80 megabit chip will allow SanDisk to put 10 megabytes in a single standard TSOP
(thin small outline package) and enable SanDisk to offer a two-chip, 10 megabyte chipset solution.
The achievement was accomplished by combining the 0.35 micron manufacturing technology of MEC and
NEC with SanDisk's patented Double Density Flash. Double Density Flash essentially doubles the
capacity of flash storage products by storing two bits of information in each flash cell. Double Density
Flash, sometimes referred to as multi-state or multi-level flash technology, was first introduced by both
SanDisk and MEC in November, 1996, when they introduced a 64 megabit flash chip. SanDisk was the
world's first company to ship multi-state flash storage products and is today the only company in
production of such products.
With the 80 megabit (or 10 megabyte) flash chip, the top capacity of SanDisk CompactFlash cards
increases from 24 to 60 megabytes, the highest capacity CF cards on the market. The top capacity of the
flash chipset increases from 8 to 20 megabytes; Type II PC cards from 150 to 200 megabytes; Type III
PC cards from 300 to 500 megabytes; and SanDisk's embedded 1.8" FlashDrive from 240 to 350
megabytes. These are now the industry's highest capacity products in their respective categories.
Internal qualification of products based on the 80Mbit flash chip is expected to be completed in Q1,
1998, with customer shipments expected in Q2, 1998. Demonstration units will be shown at the SanDisk
booth (L-1204, Las Vegas Convention Center) at Fall COMDEX in Las Vegas, NV, Nov. 17-21.
Eli Harari, CEO and president of SanDisk, said, "We are very pleased with the excellent cooperation with
our strategic partners, MEC and NEC, which has resulted in this second generation Double Density Flash
technology. This 80 megabit chip allows SanDisk to meet the 10 megabyte sweet spot of both the
CompactFlash market and the flash chipset market with a simple flash chip and a simple low-cost
controller chip. Our customers will benefit not only from the lower cost structure of Double Density Flash,
but equally from the extremely high level of reliability made possible by the intelligent controller chip."
Yutaka Nakamura, general manager, Memory Division, MEC, said, "We are pleased that both SanDisk
and MEC have successfully completed the joint development of the 2nd generation 80 megabit flash chip
based on the current 1st generation 64 megabit multi-state flash chip which was first introduced by both
SanDisk and MEC. We believe that this smooth development of the 80 megabit flash chip will lead to
early production ramp-up of this product; and furthermore, early development of the next generation
product."
Hideto Goto, general manager, 2nd LSI Memory Division, NEC Corp., said, "We are proud of the
success of the joint development project with SanDisk, and look forward to ship the world's largest scale
solid state non-volatile storage device as soon as possible."
Nelson Chan, SanDisk vice president of marketing said, "We believe that this 80 megabit announcement
will enable SanDisk to maintain or strengthen its leadership position. It is especially significant to note that
with today's market starting to demand higher capacity CompactFlash cards, we are able to increase the
capacity of our CompactFlash cards to 60 megabytes. Consumers and OEMs will benefit from the 80
megabit technology because we believe it will result in significantly lower prices and much higher capacity
flash products across our entire product line."
SanDisk also has increased the performance of its Double Density Flash products. With 80 megabit flash,
sustained write speeds have been increased to over 100 kilobytes a second - while sustained read speeds
have been increased to 1.8 megabyte per second. The 80 megabit chip will operate at 3.3 or 5.0 volts
and is 100 percent plug and play compatible with all of SanDisk's existing flash products.
SanDisk's new 80 megabit chips work with the company's intelligent controller chip to provide a complete
storage system. Only one 80 megabit chip and one controller chip are needed to build, for example, a 10
megabyte formatted FlashDisk card.
A 10 megabyte chipset will be priced at $45 in high volume OEM pricing. This allows SanDisk to achieve
a $4.50 per megabyte price. Other higher capacity SanDisk products will be priced at approximately the
same price per megabyte.
SanDisk Corporation, the world's largest supplier of flash data storage products, designs, manufactures
and markets industry-standard, solid-state data, image and audio storage products using patented, high
density flash memory and controller technology. SanDisk has strategic alliances with Seagate Technology,
Matsushita Electronics Corp., NEC Corp. and LG Semicon. Seagate holds a 25 percent equity stake in
SanDisk. SanDisk is based in Sunnyvale, CA.
The matters discussed in this news release contain forward looking statements that are subject to certain
risks and uncertainties as described under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual report or
Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996, and quarterly report or Form 10-Q for the
fiscal quarter ended September 30, 1997, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The
Company assumes no obligation to update the information in this release.
SanDisk's web site/home page address: sandisk.com
CompactFlash and CF are trademarks of SanDisk Corporation. |
