Flash memory manufacturer Spansion has begun production of MirrorBit flash memory chips at 65nm using 300mm wafers at its new plant in Aizu, Japan. It will begin shipping parts to customers in volume by the end of the year.

The plant is called SP1 and is the world's first 300mm NOR manufacturing facility. It is the first factory constructed by Spansion since it became an independent company. Spansion has invested a significant portion of its planned $1.2 billion to construct and equip SP1.

Spansion, based in Sunnyvale, Calif., expects that this investment will produce capacity of 15,000–20,000 300mm wafers per month. With additional investment, Spansion has the capability to expand capacity to produce 30,000–40,000 wafers per month in the future. Spansion plans to produce leading-edge products at SP1, such as MirrorBit Eclipse devices, with products at 45nm expected in 2008. SP1 is co-located with Spansion's other fab in Aizu.

"We are on schedule for scaling MirrorBit technology to 45nm on 300mm wafers," says Bertrand Cambou, president and CEO, Spansion. "By leveraging this next-generation facility and the cost and technology advantages of MirrorBit technology, we can deliver on our promise to bring more value to our customers and redefine the flash memory industry," he says.

Spansion started the 300mm development at its MirrorBit technology-dedicated research and development center in Silicon Valley called the Submicron Development Center (SDC). The 65nm MirrorBit technology process was developed at the SDC and has since been transferred to SP1 for production. The SDC is now currently running full flow development 300mm wafers, 45nm technology, which is targeted for transfer to SP1 in 2008. The SDC is the only 300mm NOR flash memory R&D facility in California.

MirrorBit technology offers higher yields than traditional floating-gate NOR, and scales more easily to higher densities, according to Spansion.