Scaling to 1,000-Layer 3D NAND in the AI Era (Counterpoint)

"Scaling to 1000-Layer 3D NAND in the AI Era," a pivotal white paper written by Counterpoint Research and sponsored by Lam Research, details the architectural innovations and etching technologies that are essential for data storage and advancing artificial intelligence.

Lam Cryo™ 3.0 cryogenic etch technology is a standout, enabling the creation of 3D NAND with unparalleled precision, setting the stage for AI's expanding needs.

From the executive summary:

3D NAND has become the mainstream architecture for NAND Flash memory as it has proliferated across key applications from mobile to cloud. The 3D NAND market remains dynamic as suppliers race to add more word-line layers (300+) this year to 1,000+ layers towards the end of the decade. The goal is to achieve denser but pristine 3D NAND architectures with impeccable performance that nicely aligns with the growing capabilities for compute and DRAM as we enter the AI era.

However, each of these suppliers are looking to increase the density of 3D NAND by stacking more layers in the same die and face significant challenges in scaling the architecture vertically, laterally and logically. These can be only addressed with advancements in wafer etching technologies and techniques from leading equipment manufacturers. This requires innovations across etching technologies and systems combined with novel chemistries. These advancements can enable deeper and faster etching, improve vertical scaling, minimize the profile deviation and boost density increase with repeatability.

This should help NAND suppliers march towards the 1,000-layer roadmap with better yields and lower costs. The icing on the cake would be if all of this is done in a highly sustainable manner.

Download the white paper to learn how today's technological strides are shaping AI's tomorrow.