Diamonds Used To Increase Density, Performance of Phase-Change Memory 115
Lucas123 writes "Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have shown they can increase the density, performance and the durability of phase-change memory (PSM) by using diamonds to change the base alloy material. Instead of using the more typical method of applying heat to the alloy to change its state from amorphous to crystalline, thereby laying down bits in the material, the researchers used pressure from diamond-tipped tools. Using pressure versus heat allowed them to slow down the change in order to produce many varying states allowing more data to be stored on the alloy. 'This phase-change memory is more stable than the material used in current flash drives. It works 100 times faster and is rewritable millions of times,' said the study's lead author, Ming Xu, a doctoral student at the Whiting School of Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. 'Within about five years, it could also be used to replace hard drives in computers and give them more memory.'"
Re:All Chinese authors (Score:5, Informative)
http://usvisa-info.com/en-MX/selfservice/us_immigrant_visas [usvisa-info.com]
Most Chinese students are actually on student visas. They usually get a 1yr extension for work, and from there they go to H1B if hired somewhere, and Green Card if they really want to stay, but that costs a lot to a company so it must be really worth it.
The question is, do most of the Chinese students stay in the US? or do they go back to China and work there?
If this means something: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/mar/28/china-us-publisher-scientific-papers [guardian.co.uk] , I don't think most are staying.
Re:GST being used in rewritable optical media? (Score:2, Informative)
Actually, it is write-once optical media that uses organic dyes, whereas rewritable media (cd-rw, dvd-rw, dvd-ram, etc...) use a phase change metallic alloy. However, I agree with all of your other points about the article.
Re:Yeah, it's true. (Score:0, Informative)
I vote for the latter. Slashdot is HOME of the shills!
Diamonds are a misdirection: this isn't about them (Score:5, Informative)
This is a fairly standard alloy for PC memory. These are common in next gen memory--look up ovonyx, or current Samsung NOR for a similar technology. And to be fair, most people in the memory industry do think that some sort of FeRAM or ReRAM or PCRAM will be important in 5 years, as a different leg in the memory heirarchy.
In any case, the point of this research was to use diamonds to take a look at the pressure/temperature phase diagram of the alloy. There is no intent or interest in making the material with diamond. Instead, knowing that you can get performance by going to another phase (which isn't simply accessable with tuning temperatures), you can
1) Change out the layer you are growing on
2) Add a stressor layer (Si3N4 is common) and temperature cycle.
3) Do some sort of tricky flash anneal to recrystalize
4) Add a quaternary alloy to improve the phase space.
In short, there will never be diamond involved, unless there is a C stress layer (unlikely).
This is all pretty standard stuff. THe diamond portion is a side note--that is how they applied test pressures. Practical devices may come out of this based on alterations of other sorts
Re:All Chinese authors (Score:3, Informative)
US used to be a place where migrants could actually feel welcome but those times are firmly in the past.
When, exactly was this?
http://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/background-discrimination-against-immigrants [dosomething.org]
Re:Boring not tunneling (Score:4, Informative)