In this schematic image, a silicon nanowire is shown surrounded by a stack of thin layers of material called dielectrics, which store electrical charge. NIST scientists determined the best arrangement for this dielectric stack for the optimal construction of silicon nanowire based memory devices. Image courtesy of Zhu, GMU.
While the research team says it is by no means the only lab group in the world working on nanowires, they maintain that they are keen to determine the best way to design charge trapping memory devices based on nanowires. They are confident that by using a combination of software modeling and electrical device characterisation, an optimal device can be designed.
"These findings create a platform for experimenters around the world to further investigate the nanowire based approach to high performance non volatile memory," concluded Qiliang Li, assistant professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at GMU. "We are optimistic that nanowire based memory is now closer to real application."
Nanowire measurements could improve computer memory
1 min read
A recent study at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) may have revealed the optimal characteristics for a new type of computer memory now under development.
The work, performed in collaboration with researchers from George Mason University (GMU), aims to optimise nanowire based charge trapping memory devices, creating the potential for portable computers and cell phones that can operate for days before needing to be charged.
The technology is based on silicon formed into tiny wires approximately 20nm in diameter. "These nanowires form the basis of memory that is non volatile, holding its contents even while the power is off," said NIST physicist Curt Richter. "Nanowire memory devices also hold an additional advantage over Flash memory which, despite its uses, is unsuitable for one of the most crucial memory banks in a computer; the local cache memory in the central processor.
"Cache memory stores the information a microprocessor is using for the task immediately at hand. It has to operate very quickly, and Flash memory just isn't fast enough. If we can find a fast, non volatile form of memory to replace what chips currently use as cache memory, computing devices could gain even more freedom from power outlets. We think we've found the best way to help silicon nanowires do the job."
In this schematic image, a silicon nanowire is shown surrounded by a stack of thin layers of material called dielectrics, which store electrical charge. NIST scientists determined the best arrangement for this dielectric stack for the optimal construction of silicon nanowire based memory devices. Image courtesy of Zhu, GMU.
While the research team says it is by no means the only lab group in the world working on nanowires, they maintain that they are keen to determine the best way to design charge trapping memory devices based on nanowires. They are confident that by using a combination of software modeling and electrical device characterisation, an optimal device can be designed.
"These findings create a platform for experimenters around the world to further investigate the nanowire based approach to high performance non volatile memory," concluded Qiliang Li, assistant professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at GMU. "We are optimistic that nanowire based memory is now closer to real application."
In this schematic image, a silicon nanowire is shown surrounded by a stack of thin layers of material called dielectrics, which store electrical charge. NIST scientists determined the best arrangement for this dielectric stack for the optimal construction of silicon nanowire based memory devices. Image courtesy of Zhu, GMU.
While the research team says it is by no means the only lab group in the world working on nanowires, they maintain that they are keen to determine the best way to design charge trapping memory devices based on nanowires. They are confident that by using a combination of software modeling and electrical device characterisation, an optimal device can be designed.
"These findings create a platform for experimenters around the world to further investigate the nanowire based approach to high performance non volatile memory," concluded Qiliang Li, assistant professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at GMU. "We are optimistic that nanowire based memory is now closer to real application."
