From the Labs: Nanotechnology

Copper wires (small branching structures, above) grown by applying a voltage to copper-doped tungsten could be the key to a new type of ultradense memory.
Credit: Chakku Gopalan

From the Labs

January/February 2008
By Kevin Bullis

New publications, experiments and breakthroughs in nanotechnology--and what they mean.

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Terabyte Nonvolatile Memory
A Flash alternative could store a terabyte of data

Source: "Bipolar and Unipolar Resistive Switching in Cu-Doped SiO₂"
Christina Schindler et al.
IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices 54: 2762-2768

Results: Using silicon and copper, researchers have made a new type of memory that stores information by harnessing negative and positive charges to assemble and disassemble nanoscale metallic wires. Each memory cell consists of two electrodes separated by an electrolyte doped with copper ions. When a cell is in the off state, little current passes from one electrode to the other. When a "writing" voltage is applied, the ions line up and form a filament that bridges the electrodes, markedly increasing current. Reversing the voltage causes the filament to dissolve.

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From the Labs