New technology enhances memory storage

The device has been developed by a team from the University of Edinburgh, Konkuk University and Seoul National University in Korea. It uses a small mechanical arm to translate data into electrical signals which the researchers claim enables faster operation and less energy usage compared to conventional memory storage devices. The new technology records data by measuring the current passing through a carbon nanotube and the binary value of the data is determined by an electrode that controls the flow of the current. Professor Eleanor Campbell, pictured, from Edinburgh University's school of chemistry, said previous attempts to use carbon nanotube transistors for memory storage hit a stumbling block because they had low operational speed and short memory retention times. By using a mechanical arm to charge the electrode, which operates faster than conventional memory devices, the scientists have been able to overcome the problems. "This is a novel approach to designing memory storage devices," Prof Campbell said. "Using a mechanical method combined with the benefits of nanotechnology enables a system with superior speed and energy efficiency compared with existing devices. The idea is quite novel - using the mechanical switch to charge and discharge without having a voltage constantly applied to the device." According to Prof Campbell, the new device provides much faster switching on and off which is not possible with conventional memory storage devices. "We had the idea for the device quite some time ago," she explained. "It was a few months between the idea and the creation of the model. However, one of the issues with these novel devices is how easy they can be manufactured on an industrial scale, which we are yet to see."