TORONTO — Financial analysts attending yesterday’s quarterly update from Micron Technology were congratulating the company on its strong numbers, but the real story might be that it’s mastered 3D NAND.
“What’s encouraging is where they are with their 3D NAND,” said Jim Handy, principal analyst with Objective Analysis. In a telephone interview with EE Times after Micron’s Q1 2017 conference call, he noted that other vendors, particularly Samsung, have struggled with 3D NAND, whereas Micron appears to making good progress. “Micron’s transition time is going to be longer than other technologies because they have to buy new equipment.”
That includes whole new factory in Singapore, noted Handy. “There’s something that eluded everyone else that Micron seems to have got right.” He speculates that its decision to use a floating gate process might have been a factor, as other vendors went the charge trap route. “I wouldn’t be at all surprised that Micron has shown everyone the need to go with floating gate instead of charge trap.”
