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Unity Semiconductor, a manufacturer of memory integrated circuits in Silicon Valley, is developing a new class of non-volatile memory devices with unprecedented storage levels.

Unity chairman, president and chief executive Darrell Rinerson, a former executive at Micron Technology and Advanced Micro Devices, said that the company is just two years away from launching its first 64Gbit memory device.

Founded in 2002, the company has already successfully created smaller versions of its passive rewritable crosspoint multilayer memory array device that, unlike competing technologies, does not require a transistor per memory cell to enable it to function.

It has been processing 64kbit products for two years, 64Mbit products for one year, and is now designing the 64Gbit product that, it claims, is close to tape out and slated for pilot production in 2010, with volume production in 2011.

The initial 64Gbit device is expected to clock up to 100MHz and to have a maximum data rate of 200MB/s. Sustained write speeds of 60MB/s are expected, with sustained read speeds of 100MB/s.

In addition to building and selling its own products, Unity Semiconductor also plans to selectively license its intellectual property.

As for funding, the company has already attracted almost $75m (£48m) of investment to date from venture capital firms and a major hard disk manufacturer.