Samsung today announced that it is now sampling its 16-gigabit (Gb) NAND flash memory with customers - the first NAND flash using 50 nanometer (nm) process technology.

The first samples of this high density NAND flash memory have a multi-level cell (MLC) design with a 4Kbyte (KB) page size to enhance both its read and write features. The new 4KB page function improves the conventional 2KB paging system for MLC NAND flash to double the read speed, while increasing write performance 150%.

By nearly doubling the overall performance of Samsung's MLC NAND, mobile consumers will enjoy faster data transfer speeds when storing or reading large data files whether they're using an external memory card, or a handset with a built-in flash solution such as Samsung's moviNAND.

Early market introduction of 16Gb and higher density NAND flash memories is expected to accelerate the adoption of non-volatile memory applications such as flash-based solid state disks.

Samsung plans to begin mass producing its 16Gb NAND flash memory in the first quarter of 2007.