GigaDevice, a leading semiconductor company specializing in Flash Memory, 32-bit Microcontrollers (MCUs), Sensors, Analog products and solutions, announces the launch of its GD5F1GM9 high-speed QSPI NAND Flash, which features breakthrough read speeds and innovative Bad Block Management (BBM) functionality.
The GD5F1GM9 series combines the high-speed read performance of NOR Flash with the large capacity and cost-effectiveness of NAND Flash. These innovations address key industry challenges of slow response times and vulnerability to bad block interference associated with traditional SPI NAND Flash. The GD51GM9 launch will open new growth opportunities for SPI NAND Flash, making it the ideal choice for fast-boot applications in sectors such as security, industrial, and IoT.
The GD5F1GM9 series high-speed QSPI NAND Flash is built on a 24nm process node. The series supports both 3V and 1.8V operating voltages as well as high-speed read modes including Continuous Read, Cache Read, and Auto Load Next Page. Continuous Read and Auto Load Next Page modes are newer read features added on this series, offering users versatile read options to further accelerate code and data fetch. These read modes utilize the new parallel computation approach for its ECC (Error Correction Code) design, replacing the previous serial computation method. This innovation significantly reduces the calculation time for the built-in ECC.
The 3V version of the series achieves a continuous read rate of up to 83MB/s in Continuous Read mode, operating at a maximum clock frequency of 166MHz. The 1.8V version has a continuous read rate of up to 66MB/s and supports a maximum clock frequency of 133MHz. The results in GD5F1GM9’s read speeds are up to 3 times faster than traditional SPI NAND products at the same frequency. These design advantages improve data access throughput, reduce system boot time, and lower overall system power consumption.
As bad blocks from the factory are inherent issues in NAND Flash, the GD5F1GM9 incorporates an on-chip Advanced Bad Block Management (BBM) to ensure comprehensive functionality of Continuous Read mode. Continuous Read allows read access of the full memory array with a single Read command in aid of the executed BBM that link bad block addresses to good block addresses. Read access will then automatically skip the bad block due to the established link access to the remap and linked good physical block address.
From the factory, the GD5F1GM9 series guarantees the first 256 blocks are good blocks. While there will be bad blocks from the factory and possible new bad blocks may arise during usage that needs to be managed, the BBM feature can create a logical block address to the physical block address link, allowing users to swap and replace bad blocks and the associated access will be on a good block once the BBM link is setup.
The device can support up to 20 Look Up Table BBM Links to further compliment Continuous Read mode functionality. This not only significantly improves resource utilization but also simplifies system design.
“Currently, the generally slow read speed of SPI NAND Flash has become a major bottleneck in enhancing boot performance of key applications,” said Ruwei Su, GigaDevice vice president and general manager of Flash BU, “The launch of GD5F1GM9 series high-speed QSPI NAND Flash sets a new performance benchmark in the market. This series effectively addresses the read speed limitations of traditional SPI NAND Flash and offers a new solution for bad block management, making it an ideal alternative for NOR Flash users with growing capacity needs. In the future, GigaDevice will continue to refine its underlying technologies to provide customers with more efficient and reliable storage solutions.”
The GD5F1GM9 series offers 1Gb capacity with 3V/1.8V voltage options and supports WSON8 8x6mm, WSON8 6x5mm, and BGA24 (5×5 ball array) 5×5 ball package options. For detailed information and product pricing, please contact your local sales representative.
