Toshiba to produce 30nm flash memory chips

Tokyo, Oct 8: Japan's Toshiba Corp plans to start mass producing 30-nanometre flash memory chips by late 2009 to compete with South Korean rival Samsung Electronics Co Ltd , the Nikkei business daily reported on Monday.

By turning to mass-production of the smaller 30-nanometre chips, Toshiba, the world's second-biggest producer of flash memory chips, could more than halve its current costs and gain a competitive edge over Samsung, the daily said.

Toshiba is to start mass producing next-generation 43-nanometre chips at its Yokkaichi plant in central Japan, in March, the Nikkei said. The production line for the 30-nanometre chips would also be built at the Yokkaichi plant, it added.

Toshiba officials were not immediately available to comment. A nanometre is one billionth of a metre.

Reuters>