Samsung claims that the capacity of a single SSD can be increased to 1PB

Samsung, the world’s largest 3D NAND flash memory supplier in terms of both revenue and shipment volume, possesses cutting-edge manufacturing processes to enhance performance and capacity. Recently, at the China Flash Memory Market Summit (CFMS2023), Samsung announced that future SSD capacities could reach 1PB per unit.

According to A&SMag, Samsung expected that by employing advanced technologies such as physical scaling, logical scaling, and packaging techniques for 3D NAND, it is anticipated that individual SSD capacities could increase to 1PB within the next decade. Samsung is also researching more intelligent QLC algorithms to propel QLC technology into the mainstream.

For an extended period, Samsung has supplied the industry with the largest capacity SSDs, such as mass-producing 15.36TB SSDs in 2016 and introducing 30.72TB products in 2017 using TLC technology. However, these types of SSDs have relatively modest performance, as their emphasis lies in capacity. Samsung has remained comparatively conservative regarding QLC technology compared to some industry competitors.

In 2021, Samsung showcased a 128TB SSD based on 3D QLC NAND flash memory, although it never entered mass production. Samsung’s statements suggest that merely relying on physical scaling (reducing NAND cell size and increasing layers) to expand 3D NAND flash memory to 1,000 layers is insufficient for rapidly enhancing flash memory bit density; hence, logical scaling (increasing the number of bits stored per cell) is required.

Samsung faces numerous challenges in creating a 1PB SSD within the next decade, but the company has not disclosed further technical details at this time.