Micron sets late 2027 date for G11 chips
The new 3D NAND uses wafer bonding to double storage density and boost I/O speeds.
By Leila Reynolds ·
Micron Technology expects to begin high-volume production of its G11 3D NAND flash in the second half of 2027. The company outlined the roadmap at an event this week, stating the new generation will offer roughly twice the storage density of its current G9 technology. The upgrade also includes faster data transfer rates and reduced power consumption.
In triple-level-cell form, G11 will move from a density of approximately 21 Gb/mm2 to 42 Gb/mm2. I/O speeds are projected to increase by up to 50 percent, rising from 3,600 MT/s to 5,400 MT/s. Energy required to transfer each bit should drop by more than 25 percent. These figures exceed the next-generation offerings from competitors Kioxia and Samsung.
A core architectural change in G11 is the adoption of wafer-on-wafer bonding. This method allows Micron to fabricate the memory array and the peripheral circuitry on separate wafers. Each wafer is processed using a technique suited to its specific function before the two are bonded together. While Micron has used CMOS-under-array designs for several generations, bonding provides greater flexibility to optimize the memory array and logic independently. Chinese rival YMTC has already employed this approach.
Scott DeBoer, Micron’s president and chief technology and products officer, confirmed the design relies on wafer-on-wafer bonding. He described G11 as the world’s most advanced NAND. DeBoer stated the company had previously promised to introduce the technology when it became cost-effective and relevant to product specifications, noting that the current timing is appropriate.
G11 will feature more than 400 layers. Micron has not disclosed the exact number of active wordline layers or memory decks. The company says the design will have an industry-leading memory cell pitch, indicating that density gains come from both additional layers and smaller cell dimensions. More technical details are expected in 2027 as high-volume production approaches.
The company plans to continue scaling in all three dimensions beyond G11. Micron is developing high-mobility materials, ultra-dense cell architectures, and more energy-efficient data paths. These advancements aim to improve transistor characteristics and reduce the energy needed to move data inside NAND chips.
Micron will share further details on its roadmap in 2027. The next generation is designed to benefit conventional high-capacity SSDs for client and data center use, as well as storage devices built for artificial intelligence workloads.
