Intel and STMicroelectronics Join Venture: Numonyx

Intel and STMicroelectronics officially announced their joint venture company, aka Numonyx, a new semiconductor company that will be developing and manufacturing NOR/NAND flash memory as well as phase change memory (PCM) devices. The phase change memory is a new non-volatile memory technology that could replace flash-based memory in a near future. The PCM uses physical characteristics of chalcogenide glass, and its ability to switch between crystalline and amorphous state in response to heat. The consequent change in electrical resistivity defines the basis for data storage with this technology.
Numonyx will manufacture immediately RAM, NOR and NAND memory modules thanks to two Intel manufacturing plants managing 65 nm, and later this year, 45 nm engraving process. We might see a new price-based battle between flash-based memory manufacturers, as well as new mergers in a near future.