Micron Targets 42 Gb/mm2 Density for 2027 G11 NAND Chips

Micron Technology plans to begin high-volume production of its G11 NAND flash in the second half of 2027. The new chips are designed to deliver roughly twice the storage density of the company's current G9 generation, moving from 21 Gb/mm2 to 42 Gb/mm2 in triple-level-cell form.

Performance improvements accompany the density increase. Micron projects input/output speeds will rise by up to 50%, increasing from 3,600 MT/s to 5,400 MT/s. Energy consumption per bit transferred is expected to drop by more than 25%. These specifications target both conventional solid-state drives for clients and data centers, as well as new storage devices built for artificial intelligence workloads that require high bandwidth and efficiency.

The technical shift relies on wafer-on-wafer bonding. This process allows Micron to fabricate the NAND memory array and the peripheral circuitry on separate wafers, optimizing each for its specific function before bonding them together. While Micron has used CMOS-under-array designs for several generations, bonding provides greater freedom to optimize the logic and array independently. Chinese competitor YMTC has already utilized this method.

Scott DeBoer, Micron's president and chief technology and products officer, confirmed the timing of the launch. "This is the right timing for that technology," DeBoer said at an event this week. He described G11 as the world's most advanced NAND and noted that the company had previously committed to introducing bonding when it became cost-effective and relevant to product specifications.

Micron has not disclosed the exact layer count for G11, only stating that it will move past 400 layers. The company attributes the density gain to a combination of additional layers and an industry-leading memory cell pitch. More technical details are expected closer to the start of production in 2027. The density figure for G11 is projected to exceed next-generation NAND from rivals Kioxia and Samsung.

Looking beyond G11, Micron intends to continue scaling in all three dimensions. DeBoer stated that the company is developing high-mobility materials and ultra-dense cell architectures to improve transistor characteristics and reduce energy use. "Beyond G11, we have a strong roadmap," DeBoer said, adding that the focus remains on new materials and continued XYZ scaling. Micron has not disclosed specific targets for generations following G11.