Multi-level cell

Article summary

In electronics, a multi-level cell (MLC) is a memory cell capable of storing more than a single bit of information, compared to a single-level cell (SLC), which can store only one bit per memory cell. A memory cell typically consists of a single floating-gate MOSFET (metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor), thus multi-level cells reduce the number of MOSFETs required to store the same amount of data as single-level cells. Triple-level cells (TLC) and quad-level cells (QLC) are versions of MLC memory, which can store three and four bits per cell respectively. The name "multi-level cell" is sometimes used specifically to refer to the "two-level cell". Overall, the memories are named as follows: # Single-level cell or SLC (1 bit per cell) # Multi-level cell or MLC (2 bits per cell), alternatively double-level cell or DLC # Triple-level cell or TLC (3 bits per cell) or 3-Bit MLC # Quad-level cell or QLC (4 bits per cell) # Penta-level cell or PLC (5 bits per cell) – currently in development Notice that this nomenclature can be misleading, since an "n-level cell" in fact uses 2 n levels of charge to store n bits (see below). Typically, as the "level" count increases, performance (speed and reliability) and consumer cost decrease; however, this correlation can vary between manufacturers. Examples of MLC memories are MLC NAND flash, MLC PCM (phase-change memory), etc.…

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