Samsung has announced that it has become the first to produce 30nm 3-bit MLC NAND chips in volume at the end of November. The chips are designed to be used in NAND flash modules in conjunction with exclusive Samsung 3-bit NAND controllers.

Initially the NAND chips will be used to produce 8GB microSDHC cards. The 3-bit design increases the efficiency of data storage by up to 50% compared to the 2-bit NAND common today. The chips are also suited for use in flash drives.

“Introducing cost-efficient, 30nm-class 3-bit technology widens our NAND memory solution base to make NAND even more enticing for increasingly diverse market applications,” said Soo-In Cho, executive vice president and general manager of the Memory Division at Samsung Electronics. “Our 3-bit NAND memory will support the development of more cost-competitive, high-density consumer electronics storage solutions,” he added.