12 October 2008

Toshiba Shows Off
16GB microSDHC Memory Card

Toshiba Corp exhibited a prototype of a 16GB microSD HC memory card, which is equivalent to the industry's largest available microSD card produced by SanDisk!

SanDisk is undoubtedly the world's largest supplier of flash storage cards and proven leader in flash memory but lately it trying to become a monopoly in storage business and control the market and prices!

From my point of view, it is bad for consumers and I’m really happy to see more than one player in the market, a little competition is always a good thing for end users, if nothing else than just because of the freedom of choice!

Unfortunately Toshiba’s 16GB card shown at CEATEC JAPAN 2008 is just a prototype and has not been mass-produced yet but it is nice to see that Toshiba is ready to put 16GB into a package that is about the same size as a fingernail!

To realize the capacity of 16 Gbyte, a total of 17 chips, sixteen 8-Gbit NAND flash memory chips and one controller chip, were stacked inside the card. "This is a prototype and has not been mass-produced yet," Toshiba's demonstrator said.

An enlarged model showing the inner structure of the 16GB microSDHC card

The chips are installed directly on the microSDHC memory card without using a package. With microSDHC, the thinnest part of the external dimensions needs to be 0.7mm thick. In order to stack 17 chips inside the thin card, Toshiba downsized the NAND flash memory chips to 18μm in thickness. The thickness of the chips it previously used was 60 to 70μm, according to Toshiba.

To use 18μm-thick chips, it is required to develop a new wafer feeding method, film for lamination on the downsized wafers and a wafer pick-up method after cutting, according to the company.

The companies constantly compete for your money by cutting prices to make more sales therefore more than one player in the market is better for everyone!