-World's first 238-layer 512Gb TLC 4D NAND developed in July; expected to begin 
mass production in the first half of 2023
-Providing highest, smallest NAND product while remarkably improving 
productivity, data transfer speed and power efficiency
-"Will continue innovations to find breakthroughs in technological challenges"

SK hynix Inc. (or "the company", www.skhynix.com) announced today that it has 
developed the industry's highest 238-layer NAND Flash product.

The company has recently shipped samples of the 238-layer 512Gb triple level 
cell (TLC)* 4D NAND product to customers with a plan to start mass production 
in the first half of 2023. "The latest achievement follows development of the 
176-layer NAND product in December 2020," the company stated. "It is notable 
that the latest 238-layer product is most layered and smallest in area at the 
same time."

* Triple Level Cell (TLC): NAND Flash products are categorized into Single 
Level Cell, Multi Level Cell, Triple Level Cell, Quadruple Level Cell and Penta 
Level Cell depending on the number of information (unit: bit) contained in a 
single cell. That a cell contains more information means more data can be 
stored within the same extent of area.

The company unveiled development of the latest product at the Flash Memory 
Summit 2022* in Santa Clara. "SK hynix secured global top-tier competitiveness 
in perspective of cost, performance and quality by introducing the 238-layer 
product based on its 4D NAND technologies," said Jungdal Choi, Head of NAND 
Development at SK hynix in his keynote speech during the event. "We will 
continue innovations to find breakthroughs in technological challenges."

* Flash Memory Summit (FMS): The world's biggest conference for NAND Flash 
industry taking place in Santa Clara every year. During its keynote speech at 
the event SK hynix made a joint announcement with Solidigm.

Since development of the 96-layer NAND product in 2018, SK hynix has introduced 
a series of 4D products that outperform existing 3D products. The company has 
applied charge trap flash* and peri under cell* technologies to make chips with 
4D structures. 4D products have a smaller cell area per unit compared with 3D, 
leading to higher production efficiency.

* Charge Trap Flash (CTF): Unlike floating gate, which stores electric charges 
in conductors, CTF stores electric charges in insulators, which eliminates 
interference between cells, improving read and write performance while reducing 
cell area per unit compared to floating gate technology.

* Peri. Under Cell (PUC): A technology that maximizes production efficiency by 
placing peripheral circuits under the cell array.

The product, while achieving highest layers of 238, is the smallest NAND in 
size, meaning its overall productivity has increased by 34% compared with the 
176-layer NAND, as more chips with higher density per unit area can be produced 
from each wafer.

The data-transfer speed of the 238-layer product is 2.4Gb per second, a 50% 
increase from the previous generation. The volume of the energy consumed for 
data reading has decreased by 21%, an achievement that also meets the company's 
ESG commitment.

The 238-layer products will be first adopted for client SSDs which are used as 
PC storage devices, before being provided for smartphones and high-capacity 
SSDs for servers later. The company will also introduce 238-layer products in 1 
Terabit (Tb) next year, with density doubled compared to the current 512Gb 
product.

About SK hynix Inc.

SK hynix Inc., headquartered in Korea, is the world's top tier semiconductor 
supplier offering Dynamic Random Access Memory chips ("DRAM"), flash memory 
chips ("NAND flash") and CMOS Image Sensors ("CIS") for a wide range of 
distinguished customers globally. The Company's shares are traded on the Korea 
Exchange, and the Global Depository shares are listed on the Luxemburg Stock 
Exchange. Further information about SK hynix is available at www.skhynix.com, 
news.skhynix.com.

Source: SK hynix Inc.

Image Attachments Links:

   Link: https://iop.asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=426737

   Caption: Figure 1. SK hynix Develops World’s Highest 238-Layer 4D NAND Flash

   Link: https://iop.asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=426742

   Caption: Figure 2. SK hynix Develops World’s Highest 238-Layer 4D NAND Flash

   Link: https://iop.asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=426819

   Caption: CTF (Charge Trap Flash)

   Link: https://iop.asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=426820

   Caption: PUC (Peri. Under Cell)