Electronic – Odd markings on flash ICs – Are these factory rejects

integrated-circuit

I recently purchased a really, really cheap SSD ($25.99), and I popped open the case out of curiosity.

The flash chips have etched bars across the part numbers, something I've never seen before.

Is this a standard way of marking chips as rejects?

Edit: I bought two of them to put in RAID-1, because I don't trust them too much, and the other one has identical markings:

This one uses Micron flash, though the marking is identical.

At this point, I can only think it must be a really, really, really ineffective attempt to hide the flash part numbers?

The micron parts are MT29F128G08CBECBH6-12:C, which is a 16GByte part, so there is 64 GB of raw storage.

The other parts are "Spectek" branded, which is apparently a micron subsidiary I'd never heard of before. They appear to be FBNL95B71KDBABH6-10AL, which are also 16 GByte parts.

Edit:

~~The first of the drives passed sudo badblocks -b 4096 -c 4096 -s -w /dev/sdm without error, so apparently the capacity is real, and they are good for at least one write.~~

Edit edit:

Correction: Either badblocks is crashing my el-cheapo USB-sata adapter, or they do have some issues.

Edit edit edit:

Ok, running badblocks on the drive appears to have confused the disk horribly. Here is the SMART report:

durr@mainnas:/media/Storage/badblocks⟫ sudo smartctl /dev/sdm -a
smartctl 6.2 2013-07-26 r3841 [x86_64-linux-3.13.0-79-generic] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-13, Bruce Allen, Christian Franke, www.smartmontools.org

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Device Model:     KingDian S200 60GB
Serial Number:    2016022700031
LU WWN Device Id: 0 000000 000000000
Firmware Version: 20150818
User Capacity:    60,022,480,896 bytes [60.0 GB]
Sector Size:      512 bytes logical/physical
Rotation Rate:    Solid State Device
Device is:        Not in smartctl database [for details use: -P showall]
ATA Version is:   ACS-2 (minor revision not indicated)
SATA Version is:  SATA 3.1, 6.0 Gb/s (current: 1.5 Gb/s)
Local Time is:    Sun Mar 20 19:15:31 2016 PDT
SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability.
SMART support is: Enabled

=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===
SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED

General SMART Values:
Offline data collection status:  (0x02) Offline data collection activity
                                        was completed without error.
                                        Auto Offline Data Collection: Disabled.
Self-test execution status:      (   0) The previous self-test routine completed
                                        without error or no self-test has ever
                                        been run.
Total time to complete Offline
data collection:                (    0) seconds.
Offline data collection
capabilities:                    (0x11) SMART execute Offline immediate.
                                        No Auto Offline data collection support.
                                        Suspend Offline collection upon new
                                        command.
                                        No Offline surface scan supported.
                                        Self-test supported.
                                        No Conveyance Self-test supported.
                                        No Selective Self-test supported.
SMART capabilities:            (0x0002) Does not save SMART data before
                                        entering power-saving mode.
                                        Supports SMART auto save timer.
Error logging capability:        (0x01) Error logging supported.
                                        General Purpose Logging supported.
Short self-test routine
recommended polling time:        (   2) minutes.
Extended self-test routine
recommended polling time:        (  10) minutes.

SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 1
Vendor Specific SMART Attributes with Thresholds:
ID# ATTRIBUTE_NAME          FLAG     VALUE WORST THRESH TYPE      UPDATED  WHEN_FAILED RAW_VALUE
  1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate     0x0000   100   100   050    Old_age   Offline      -       0
  5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct   0x0002   100   100   050    Old_age   Always       -       0
  9 Power_On_Hours          0x0000   100   100   050    Old_age   Offline      -       2
 12 Power_Cycle_Count       0x0000   100   100   050    Old_age   Offline      -       6
160 Unknown_Attribute       0x0000   100   100   050    Old_age   Offline      -       0
161 Unknown_Attribute       0x0000   100   100   050    Old_age   Offline      -       125
162 Unknown_Attribute       0x0000   100   100   050    Old_age   Offline      -       1
163 Unknown_Attribute       0x0000   100   100   050    Old_age   Offline      -       20
164 Unknown_Attribute       0x0000   100   100   050    Old_age   Offline      -       4943
165 Unknown_Attribute       0x0000   100   100   050    Old_age   Offline      -       12
166 Unknown_Attribute       0x0000   100   100   050    Old_age   Offline      -       1
167 Unknown_Attribute       0x0000   100   100   050    Old_age   Offline      -       4
192 Power-Off_Retract_Count 0x0000   100   100   050    Old_age   Offline      -       6
194 Temperature_Celsius     0x0000   100   100   050    Old_age   Offline      -       40
195 Hardware_ECC_Recovered  0x0000   100   100   050    Old_age   Offline      -       0
196 Reallocated_Event_Count 0x0000   100   100   050    Old_age   Offline      -       0
199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count    0x0000   100   100   050    Old_age   Offline      -       6
241 Total_LBAs_Written      0x0000   100   100   050    Old_age   Offline      -       2857
242 Total_LBAs_Read         0x0000   100   100   050    Old_age   Offline      -       72
245 Unknown_Attribute       0x0000   100   100   050    Old_age   Offline      -       9517

Warning! SMART ATA Error Log Structure error: invalid SMART checksum.
SMART Error Log Version: 1
Warning: ATA error count 0 inconsistent with error log pointer 1

ATA Error Count: 0
        CR = Command Register [HEX]
        FR = Features Register [HEX]
        SC = Sector Count Register [HEX]
        SN = Sector Number Register [HEX]
        CL = Cylinder Low Register [HEX]
        CH = Cylinder High Register [HEX]
        DH = Device/Head Register [HEX]
        DC = Device Command Register [HEX]
        ER = Error register [HEX]
        ST = Status register [HEX]
Powered_Up_Time is measured from power on, and printed as
DDd+hh:mm:SS.sss where DD=days, hh=hours, mm=minutes,
SS=sec, and sss=millisec. It "wraps" after 49.710 days.

Error 0 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 21930 hours (913 days + 18 hours)
  When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was in an unknown state.

  After command completion occurred, registers were:
  ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
  -- -- -- -- -- -- --
  00 03 ff 93 01 00 ce

  Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
  CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC   Powered_Up_Time  Command/Feature_Name
  -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --  ----------------  --------------------
  03 00 00 00 00 00 b9 00      00:00:00.288  CFA REQUEST EXTENDED ERROR
  00 00 00 00 00 00 01 00      00:00:00.000  NOP [Abort queued commands]
  00 00 b3 01 18 00 08 00      00:00:00.000  NOP [Abort queued commands]
  00 02 01 00 00 00 00 4c      16:05:33.861  NOP [Reserved subcommand] [OBS-ACS-2]
  03 00 07 00 00 00 ce 00      00:18:34.183  CFA REQUEST EXTENDED ERROR

Error -4 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 0 hours (0 days + 0 hours)
  When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

  After command completion occurred, registers were:
  ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
  -- -- -- -- -- -- --
  04 51 f0 d0 3e 44 a0  Error: ABRT

  Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
  CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC   Powered_Up_Time  Command/Feature_Name
  -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --  ----------------  --------------------
  b0 d0 01 00 4f c2 a0 00      00:00:00.000  SMART READ DATA
  b0 d5 01 01 4f c2 a0 00      00:00:00.000  SMART READ LOG
  b0 d5 01 00 4f c2 a0 00      00:00:00.000  SMART READ LOG
  b0 da 00 00 4f c2 a0 00      00:00:00.000  SMART RETURN STATUS
  b0 d1 01 01 4f c2 a0 00      00:00:00.000  SMART READ ATTRIBUTE THRESHOLDS [OBS-4]

Warning! SMART Self-Test Log Structure error: invalid SMART checksum.
SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1
Num  Test_Description    Status                  Remaining  LifeTime(hours)  LBA_of_first_error
# 1  Extended offline    Completed without error       00%         0         -

Selective Self-tests/Logging not supported

At this point, I've had the drive about a week. I have no idea how it's had errors 918 days ago.

Additionally: Error -4. Yeah, I don't think SMART logs are supposed to have negative numbers. Whoops?

At this point, if I re-test the drive with badblocks, the device actually drops out, and then reconnects.

durr@mainnas:/media/Storage/badblocks⟫ dmesg | tail -n 50
[2048975.197941] sd 12:0:0:0: [sdm] Mode Sense: 28 00 00 00
[2048975.198218] sd 12:0:0:0: [sdm] No Caching mode page found
[2048975.198728] sd 12:0:0:0: [sdm] Assuming drive cache: write through
[2048975.200188] sd 12:0:0:0: [sdm] No Caching mode page found
[2048975.200633] sd 12:0:0:0: [sdm] Assuming drive cache: write through
[2048975.214949]  sdm: unknown partition table
[2048975.215831] sd 12:0:0:0: [sdm] No Caching mode page found
[2048975.216456] sd 12:0:0:0: [sdm] Assuming drive cache: write through
[2048975.216915] sd 12:0:0:0: [sdm] Attached SCSI disk
[2049068.016741] usb 3-5: reset high-speed USB device number 16 using xhci_hcd
[2049068.036966] usb 3-5: device firmware changed
[2049068.037001] usb 3-5: USB disconnect, device number 16
[2049068.040592] scsi 12:0:0:0: rejecting I/O to offline device
[2049068.041057] scsi 12:0:0:0: [sdm] killing request
[2049068.041063] scsi 12:0:0:0: [sdm]
[2049068.041064] Result: hostbyte=DID_NO_CONNECT driverbyte=DRIVER_OK
[2049068.041065] scsi 12:0:0:0: [sdm] CDB:
[2049068.041066] Read(10): 28 00 00 44 3e d0 00 00 f0 00
[2049068.041070] end_request: I/O error, dev sdm, sector 4472528
[2049068.041520] scsi 12:0:0:0: rejecting I/O to offline device
[2049068.041974] scsi 12:0:0:0: [sdm] killing request
[2049068.042017] scsi 12:0:0:0: [sdm]
[2049068.042018] Result: hostbyte=DID_NO_CONNECT driverbyte=DRIVER_OK
[2049068.042018] scsi 12:0:0:0: [sdm] CDB:
[2049068.042019] Read(10): 28 00 00 44 3f c0 00 00 f0 00
[2049068.042022] end_request: I/O error, dev sdm, sector 4472768
[2049068.056652] xhci_hcd 0000:00:14.0: xHCI xhci_drop_endpoint called with disabled ep ffff8801781c3c80
[2049068.056654] xhci_hcd 0000:00:14.0: xHCI xhci_drop_endpoint called with disabled ep ffff8801781c3cc0
[2049068.168511] usb 3-5: new high-speed USB device number 17 using xhci_hcd
[2049068.259417] usb 3-5: New USB device found, idVendor=152d, idProduct=2329
[2049068.259420] usb 3-5: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=5
[2049068.259421] usb 3-5: Product: USB to ATA/ATAPI bridge
[2049068.259422] usb 3-5: Manufacturer: JMicron
[2049068.259423] usb 3-5: SerialNumber: 201602270003
[2049068.291104] usb-storage 3-5:1.0: USB Mass Storage device detected
[2049068.291152] usb-storage 3-5:1.0: Quirks match for vid 152d pid 2329: 8020
[2049068.291179] scsi13 : usb-storage 3-5:1.0
[2049069.322875] scsi 13:0:0:0: Direct-Access     KingDian  S200 60GB       2015 PQ: 0 ANSI: 2 CCS
[2049069.323058] sd 13:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg12 type 0
[2049069.384321] sd 13:0:0:0: [sdm] 117231408 512-byte logical blocks: (60.0 GB/55.8 GiB)
[2049069.384601] sd 13:0:0:0: [sdm] Write Protect is off
[2049069.384603] sd 13:0:0:0: [sdm] Mode Sense: 28 00 00 00
[2049069.384868] sd 13:0:0:0: [sdm] No Caching mode page found
[2049069.385353] sd 13:0:0:0: [sdm] Assuming drive cache: write through
[2049069.386764] sd 13:0:0:0: [sdm] No Caching mode page found
[2049069.387311] sd 13:0:0:0: [sdm] Assuming drive cache: write through
[2049069.396568]  sdm: unknown partition table
[2049069.397466] sd 13:0:0:0: [sdm] No Caching mode page found
[2049069.398067] sd 13:0:0:0: [sdm] Assuming drive cache: write through
[2049069.398513] sd 13:0:0:0: [sdm] Attached SCSI disk

Back to Amazon they go, I guess. I think I'll see if I can convince the other to fail as well, before I return them.

Edit edit edit edit:

Yep, second drive just crapped itself when tested in the exact same manner. Whoops?

Best Answer

I emailed Ted Netz, the NAND flash product manager at SpecTek. Here's what he had to say (with a few minor grammar and formatting fixes):

Hi Adam,

We do mark products this way. It is a type of part we sell that may have a mechanical defect, but often tested electrically good. We sell it as risk product, as is, at a discount and do a 3 bar deface on it so it cannot be returned as an all good device for RMA. The mechanical defect typically will not let it pass our automated scan steps. Typically it fails for coplanarity or could have a missing or smashed ball. Folks are willing to rework the part and are supposed to retest it. However we usually advise customers to restrict these devices to USB apps or lower tier apps only as they may not meet all performance standards. As well, we cannot control the customer rework process so again we will not warranty such a device.

However there is another odd thing on these. The extra characters H16 62 are not part of our marking scheme. We have had folks counterfeit both the Micron mark and/or the SpecTek mark in this fashion to pass off the parts as SpecTek original. The odd thing to me as well is the scribe adjacent to the pin one mark. On the SpecTek marked drive the font is different on 3 of the marks which do not look like typical Micron scribe fonts. Anyhow hope this helps.

Thx -- Ted

So the three bars are a legitimate marking for high-risk no-warranty discount flash with mechanical defects. Customers are supposed to rework and test the chips on their own. However, based on the extra markings it seems like the chips in your drive might be counterfeit. Maybe it's easier to get away with counterfeiting a lower-quality product.

Related Solutions

Electronic – Could these ICs from Alibaba be counterfeit

For the question of the different numbers between the chips they are probably the date codes / lot number that many manufacturers use to track when and where a part was made. When customers report failures that can be useful to isolate manufacturing problems down to particular factories or batches.

I couldn't find documentation for the DS1307 in particular but here's an example for another Maxim DS series part:

Clarification of DS1804 Ordering Information and Package Marking

For that part the final two lines are:

yywwrr
###xx

Where:

yy = Last 2 digits of year of assembly
ww = Work week of assembly
rr = Die revision code
### = Last 3 digits of lot number
xx = Up to 2 alpha characters of lot number suffix

Electronic – 3D stacked ICs; why are they not common yet

It depends what you mean by 3D. The are various integration levels. Some are more difficult than others. Here's a (somewhat optimistic) outline taken from http://thor.inemi.org/webdownload/2014/Eurotherm_061914.pdf

enter image description here

The outline above is actually a bit old; it was first published in a 2010 paper: http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/ECTC.2010.5490828

The pie in the middle of that slide is supposedly fairly big already:

[In 2011], the market value of all the devices using TSV packaged in 3D in the 3DIC or 3D-WLCSP platforms (CMOS image sensors, Ambient light sensors, Power Amplifiers, RF and inertial MEMS) was worth $2.7B. It will represent 9% of the total semiconductor value by 2017, hitting almost $40B.

Another estimate is a bit less optimistic though:

Globally, 3DICs market was valued at USD 2.40 billion in 2012 and is forecast to grow at 18.1 percent CAGR from 2013 – 2019.

For low-power 3D memory devices, JEDEC already has a standard, JESD229 "Wide I/O Single DataRate", which gives 2x the bandwidth of LPDDR2 while keeping the same power consumption [ref]. For high-performance 3D memory, there's non-JEDEC standard, Hybrid Memory Cube which has fairly good industry backing (Micron, Samsung, Intel). Intel has announced that Knights Landing (to appear in the 2nd half of this year) is going to use HMC. For high-performance 3D RAM, JEDEC instead standardized JESD235 "High Bandwidth Memory" which is backed by AMD, Hynix and Nvidia. Nvidia Pascal to appear in 2016 or so is supposedly going to use this HBM.

If you're talking about CPUs or other chips generating a lot heat... it's going to be much harder to make them in 3D stacks because of the difficulty in getting rid of the heat from the inner layers. In 2008 IBM Research published their experiments with water running through capillarity micro-channels inside a 3D die [ref] see also video (of more recent/2012 progress with that). This is obviously tricky to get working at a competitive price point. I have no idea if/when they plan to commercialize something like that, and even then it they'd probably target their mainframes first.

And also on the issue of heat, I've been wondering why I can't find any mentions of design wins for Wide IO (the low-power 3D memory). I can't be sure of the real reasons behind its market flop, but it turns out that even though it uses less power than PoP (package-on-package) solutions, due to its real 3D structure (using TSV - through-silicon vias) Wide IO actually heats up faster than a PoP solution, especially with the SoC underneath giving it some "help". This is admitted in a presentation by its promoters; see slide 15. (N.B.: there's some well-founded, X-rays-based speculation that the Playstation Vita uses Wide I/O, but nothing has been officially confirmed.) There's also a "Wide IO 2" JEDEC standard JESD229-2 now. I can't find any mentions of adoption in devices for that either, but this it is rather new, so time will tell. Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that even in low-power devices, 3D chips can have significant heating issues.

As for the current 3D market, I think a lot of it (though I can't say what proportion exactly) is in the illuminated CMOS sensors (both front- and back-illumnated) that are present in many cameras and even smart phones. There's nice visual presentation of many of these chips with actual photos and even some profile X-rays (on several slides, so I'm not pasting it here) in a Semicon Taiwan 2012 talk; it also has photos of more obscure current 3D applications like MEMS accelerometers so forth.