All-optical data memory: Ultra-short light pulses make the GST material change from crystalline to amorphous and back. Weak light pulses read out the data. (Photo: C. Rios/Oxford University)
Researchers Develop the First Non-volatile All-optical Chip Memory Based on Phase Change Materials
The first all-optical permanent on-chip memory has been developed by scientists of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the universities of Münster, Oxford, and Exeter. This is an important step on the way towards optical computers. Phase change materials that change their optical properties depending on the arrangement of the atoms allow for the storage of several bits in a single cell. The researchers present their development in the journal Nature Photonics (10.1038/nphoton.2015.182).
Light determines the future of information and communication technology: With optical elements, computers can work more rapidly and more efficiently. Optical fibers have long since been used for the transmission of data with light. But on a computer, data are still processed and stored electronically. Electronic exchange of data between processors and the memory limits the speed of modern computers. To overcome this so-called von Neumann bottleneck, it is not sufficient to optically connect memory and processor, as the optical signals have to be converted into electric signals again. Scientists, hence, look for methods to carry out calculations and data storage in a purely optical manner.
Scientists of KIT, the University of Münster, Oxford University, and Exeter University have now developed the first all-optical, non-volatile on-chip memory. “Optical bits can be written at frequencies of up to a gigahertz. This allows for extremely quick data storage by our all-photonic memory,” Professor Wolfram Pernice explains. Pernice headed a working group of the KIT Institute of Nanotechnology (INT) and recently moved to the University of Münster.
“The memory is compatible not only with conventional optical fiber data transmission, but also with latest processors,” Professor Harish Bhaskaran of Oxford University adds.
The new memory can store data for decades even when the power is removed. Its capacity to store many bits in a single cell of a billionth of a meter in size (multi-level memory) also is highly attractive. Instead of the usual information values of 0 and 1, several states can be stored in an element and even autonomous calculations can be made. This is due to so-called phase change materials, novel materials that change their optical properties depending on the arrangement of the atoms: Within shortest periods of time, they can change between crystalline (regular) and amorphous (irregular) states. For the memory, the scientists used the phase change material Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST). The change from crystalline to amorphous (storing data) and from amorphous to crystalline (erasing data) is initiated by ultrashort light pulses. For reading out the data, weak light pulses are used.
Permanent all-optical on-chip memories might considerably increase future performance of computers and reduce their energy consumption. Together with all-optical connections, they might reduce latencies. Energy-intensive conversion of optical signals into electronic signals and vice versa would no longer be required.
Read more: Permanent Data Storage with Light
The Latest on: All-optical Chip Memory
via Google News
The Latest on: All-optical Chip Memory
- The memory industy (5): Looking for a new biz model that can create new valueon May 12, 2022 at 8:39 pm
When the memory industry can no longer leverage Moore's Law to create new value, it has to find new technologies to establish a new business model that can create new economic value.
- Broadcom Vs. Marvell: Better Chipmaker Company To Buyon May 12, 2022 at 2:20 pm
Though, Broadcom claims to have shipped 350 mln embedded SerDes channels while Marvell had shipped over two thousand chips ... by all metrics with a higher CPU performance, L2 cache and memory ...
- Google Pixel 6a lowers the cost of entry for its Tensor chip phoneson May 11, 2022 at 3:33 pm
To cut $150 off the Pixel 6, which Google introduced last October, the Pixel 6a sacrifices its memory, screen, camera, and charging functionality. It goes from ...
- Top 5 best Android smartphones (non-Chinese) in 2022on May 11, 2022 at 12:36 pm
Both versions come in multiple memory/storage configurations ranging from 8GB / 12GB ... It also uses a 10MP periscope telephoto camera that supports 10x optical zoom and OIS. Furthermore, there is ...
- Researchers use light for thermomagnetic recording on silicon waveguideon May 10, 2022 at 9:05 am
Researchers have demonstrated, for the first time, light-induced thermomagnetic recording in a magnetic thin-film on silicon waveguides. The new writing technique is poised to enable miniature ...
- Startup Funding: April 2022on May 4, 2022 at 5:14 am
In April, one of the largest funding rounds went to a startup developing chip-to-chip optical I/O. But that wasn’t all. Photonics funding showed up ... Plus, funding for compute-in-memory, power ...
- All the new tech that blew our reviewers away this monthon April 30, 2022 at 6:00 am
AMD took an older CPU and strapped on more memory using its 3D stacking technology. The result is a chip that's 6.4% faster ... really comfortable optical switches, and even heat-treated PTFE feet. It ...
- d-Matrix gets $44m in quest for efficient AI server chipletson April 26, 2022 at 12:27 pm
Matrix, which has raised $44 million from Microsoft, SK Hynix, Marvell Technology, and others for a new kind of efficient AI chiplet design for datacenter servers. The Santa Clara-based startup ...
- Bloomberg: Next Xbox features an AMD x86 chip, making backwards compatibility difficulton April 7, 2022 at 5:00 pm
The issue arises from the as-yet-unannounced console's chip, which allegedly ... 500GB of on-board memory, USB 3.0, HDMI-out, and an optical drive for 50GB discs. It's unclear if the reported ...
- storage vs. memoryon August 16, 2020 at 8:00 pm
USB drives and optical discs are also storage. Memory (RAM ... To cover all bases (and add some confusion), there actually are RAM chips that are non-volatile. They serve as both storage and ...
via Bing News