Researchers unveil graphite memory

 

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Posted on 19 Dec 2008 at 09:29

Researchers have created a new type of memory made of graphite that's only 10 atoms thick.

The breakthrough comes courtesy of Rice University and could lead to memory with a far greater capacity than current flash technology, and the ability to operate at temperatures up to 200 degrees Celsius.

As with current flash memory, the graphite memory chips also have the benefit of consuming very little power to retain data.

The team have been testing the memory for a year and a half and have managed to grow a level of graphite atop a five nanometre layer of silicon capable of storing a single bit of data. However, capacity can be increased by stacking the layers.

The researchers have so far hit memory access times of 100 nanoseconds, some way below the 10 nanosecond access time of SRAM. However, the team claims it is working on boosting these figures in order to make graphite memory a viable next-gen memory alternative.

It will certainly have a fight on its hands. IBM is also competing to take the next-gen memory crown, and is pioneering Rack Track memory which uses magnetic boundaries to channel data, meaning that instead of the computer going to find the data is effectively shuttled to a place where it can be used. Like flash drives Racetrack contains no moving parts, but unlike flash in which every write damages the circuits - Racetrack would not be worn down by usage, prolonging its life considerably.

Intel is also getting in on the act with its phase-change memory, which changes the properties of a substance called chalcogenide through the application of heat to store data.

Author: Stuart Turton