Kioxia and SanDisk Showcase Future SSD Numbers: BiCS10 Surprises with Capacity and Performance

SanDisk and Kioxia have announced the start of shipments for the first samples of the new 3D NAND BiCS10 TLC memory with 1 Tb (terabit) capacity, the tenth generation of the platform developed with BiCS FLASH architecture. The new solution primarily targets the enterprise SSD and data center sectors, where the growth of workloads related to artificial intelligence demands high capacity, increased speed, and improved energy efficiency. Production will utilize the latest generation facilities at the Kitakami Plant Fab2 in the Iwate Prefecture, Japan.

Among the main features of the new BiCS10 is a NAND interface of 4.8 Gb/s, marking a 33% increase over the eighth-generation BiCS memory currently produced in volume. The design also introduces 332 layers, along with advanced lateral scaling techniques that allow an increase in bit density of 59%, reaching over 29 Gb/mm² in the version announced by SanDisk.

The new generation continues to use the CMOS directly Bonded to Array (CBA) technology, which fabricates the CMOS logic and the memory array on separate wafers before joining them through a high-precision bonding process. This architecture improves density, performance, and efficiency compared to previous generations.

From a technical specifications standpoint, BiCS10 integrates support for Toggle DDR6.0, the SCA protocol, and PI-LTT technology—elements designed to ensure high-speed transfers while keeping energy consumption low.

Energy efficiency is also one of the most relevant aspects of the new memory. According to data released by SanDisk, input operation consumption decreases by 10%, while output consumption falls by 34% compared to the BiCS8 generation. Kioxia, on the other hand, reports an 18% improvement in writing energy efficiency and a 30% gain in reading, aiming to reduce the energy requirements of enterprise infrastructures and data centers.

The company also confirmed the continuation of its strategy based on two parallel development lines. On one hand, the ninth generation BiCS FLASH remains focused on delivering high performance with lower production investments; on the other hand, the new BiCS10 aims to increase the number of layers to enhance capacity and performance, albeit at a higher cost.

"BiCS8 set a new benchmark for 3D NAND technology, combining our wafer bonding capabilities with significant improvements in density, performance, and efficiency. With BiCS10 TLC, we are building on this solid foundation to deliver our customers higher interface speeds, greater bit density, and improved energy efficiency," explained Alper Ilkbahar, CTO of SanDisk.