NANDmuistien

NANDmuistien, often referred to as NAND flash memory, is a type of non-volatile storage technology. Non-volatile means that the data stored on it is retained even when the power is turned off. NAND flash is characterized by its block-addressable structure, meaning data is read and written in blocks, unlike its NOR flash counterpart which is byte-addressable. This block-based operation makes NAND flash very efficient for high-density storage applications.

The fundamental building block of NAND flash memory is the floating-gate transistor. These transistors are arranged in a grid. Data is stored by trapping electrons in the floating gate. Applying a voltage to the control gate allows these electrons to tunnel through an insulating layer, either into or out of the floating gate, thereby changing the transistor's threshold voltage and representing a binary 0 or 1. NAND flash is known for its high storage density and lower cost per bit compared to NOR flash.

However, NAND flash has limitations. It is slower for random access operations than NOR flash and has a finite number of program/erase cycles before it degrades. To overcome these limitations and manage wear leveling, sophisticated controllers are used. These controllers distribute write operations evenly across the memory cells, extending the lifespan of the NAND flash device. NAND flash memory is widely used in solid-state drives (SSDs), USB flash drives, memory cards, and smartphones.