New alloy for computer memory could replace flash memory technology

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(NaturalNews) "Phase-change" is a new type of computer memory, much faster and smaller than flash memory, currently being researched by scientists from IBM, Macronix and Qimonda.

Phase-change memory is made from a tiny piece of semiconductor alloy that can switch back and forth from a structured, crystalline phase with low electrical resistance, to a jumbled, amorphous phase with high electrical resistance, all without electrical power. The team at IBM Research Labs designed, built and tested a 3-by-20-nanometer prototype that could switch more than 500 times faster than its much larger flash drive counterpart, all while using less than half the power to record data.

"These results dramatically demonstrate that phase-change memory has a very bright future," said Dr. T. C. Chen, IBM Research's vice president of Science & Technology. "Many expect flash memory to encounter significant scaling limitations in the near future. Today, we unveil a new phase-change memory material that has high performance even in an extremely small volume. This should ultimately lead to phase-change memories that will be very attractive for many applications."

Qimonda AG's Senior Vice President of Technical Innovation, Dr. Wilhelm Beinvogl, agreed.

"Emerging memory technologies, like phase-change memory, are important elements of Qimonda's advanced memory development," he said. "We have demonstrated the potential of the phase-change memory technology on very small dimensions, laying out a scaleability path. Thus phase-change memories have the clear potential to play an important role in future memory systems."

Details of the research will be presented at the Institute of Electronics and Elecrical Engineers 2006 and Interneational Elecron Devices Meeting in San Franscisco on Dec. 13. According to reports, a patent has been filed for the composition of the semiconductor alloy used to make phase-change memory cells.

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