NAND Flash Memory

What Does NAND Flash Memory Mean?

NAND flash memory is a type of non-volatile storage technology that does not require power in order to retain data. It uses floating-gate transistors that are connected in a way that the resulting connection resembles a NANA gate, where several transistors are series connected and a bit line is pulled low only when all word lines are at a high state, hence the name. The technology is used in common storage devices such as flash drives, solid-state drives and memory cards.

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Techopedia Explains NAND Flash Memory

NAND flash memory is a type of flash memory that stores data in arrays of memory cells that were made using floating-gate transistors. It contains two gates, namely, the control gate and the floating gate, and in order to program a single cell, a voltage charge must be applied to the control gate. Electrons are then attracted toward the control gate, but the flow gate traps them within the substrate where they can remain for years under normal operating conditions. In order to erase a cell, the control gate must be grounded and a voltage is applied to the opposite or to the substrate. Constant erase, writing and reading eventually wear out the components of the NAND flash, so it is rated according to the number of program/erase cycles it can handle.

NAND flash memory is the most common type of memory being used in the mass market because of its affordability, storage density and access speeds. It is found in most modern cell phones as the main and even as the secondary storage, in memory cards and in solid-state drives as a computer storage, unlike NOR flash, which acts similar to RAM and is a little bit more expensive.

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Margaret Rouse

Margaret Rouse is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical, business audience. Over the past twenty years her explanations have appeared on TechTarget websites and she's been cited as an authority in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine and Discovery Magazine.Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages. If you have a suggestion for a new definition or how to improve a technical explanation, please email Margaret or contact her…