Toshiba Boosts Flash Memory Speed

Toshiba is planning to double the read/write speed of its NAND flash memory chips in the next year.

NAND flash memory is used as the basic storage in devices such as digital cameras, music players and memory cards and faster chips could mean faster data transfers between computers and the devices.

At present, Toshiba's flash chips can read and write data at 6MB per second but this will be doubled to 12MB per second sometime next year when the company begins producing chips on a new manufacturing line.

The company currently makes most of its NAND flash chips on a 90-nanometer production line but plans to start up a state-of-the-art 52-nanometer line in 2006 on which the chips will be made.

The nanometer measurement refers to the size of the smallest feature on the chip and is a standard gauge of the manufacturing line. Smaller numbers mean a more advanced line and these are typically capable of producing physically smaller chips that are both cheaper and use less energy.

Initial chips will have a capacity of 2GB.