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Kioxia and SanDisk have begun sample shipments of their ninth-generation BiCS FLASH, a NAND flash technology that blends legacy architectures with modern enhancements to create a bridge between the current BiCS8 generation and the forthcoming BiCS10. While BiCS10 is expected to deliver higher capacities through a cutting-edge 332-layer design, BiCS9 takes a more cost-optimized approach, targeting enterprise SSDs built for AI workloads and mid-tier storage solutions where efficiency and performance balance are key.
What sets BiCS9 apart is its hybrid construction, achieved through CMOS directly Bonded to Array (CBA) technology. In this process, the logic and memory cell wafers are fabricated separately under optimized conditions before being bonded into a single, high-performance package. This innovation allows Kioxia to mix and match mature cell structures—such as a 112-layer BiCS5 or a 218-layer BiCS8—with a modern I/O interface. The result is a chip capable of delivering Toggle DDR 6.0 speeds of up to 3.6 Gb/s, with peak speeds reaching 4.8 Gb/s under controlled testing conditions.
Despite employing fewer layers than BiCS8 or the next-gen BiCS10, BiCS9 still brings meaningful upgrades. Write performance is up by 61%, read speeds improve by 12%, and power efficiency rises by 36% during writes and 27% during reads compared to previous 512 GB TLC designs. An 8% increase in bit density further underscores the careful engineering that allows BiCS9 to deliver strong performance without inflating costs.
Kioxia’s roadmap positions BiCS9 as a transitional step, enabling the company to refine manufacturing techniques and performance tuning ahead of BiCS10’s more complex, high-density architecture. This strategy is particularly relevant as AI-driven data workloads demand faster, power-conscious storage solutions capable of feeding GPUs with minimal latency, especially with the extreme ambition associated with the AI boom.
Kioxia’s approach with BiCS9 contrasts with rivals like Samsung and Micron, who are betting on aggressively scaling layer counts to achieve capacity gains. While competitors push beyond 300 layers, Kioxia is focusing on hybrid architectures that offer faster time-to-market and better cost efficiency. Working with a consumer-facing industry veteran like SanDisk ensures Kioxia, who invented NAND flash, stays highly competitive through mixed R&D efforts.
Therefore, the company's long-standing partnership with SanDisk has been instrumental in shaping the BiCS series, combining Japanese manufacturing expertise with SanDisk’s deep storage market presence. Since their joint venture began in 2006, the two companies have co-developed multiple generations of 3D NAND technology, pushing the limits of scaling and performance. BiCS9 serves as their new marquee offering, alongside Kioxia's own efforts to set new industry standards.
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