Nanoionics results in new memory type

1000 Gigabyte Thumb Drives. Maybe. We'll see.

Researchers have now developed a brand new memory technology, unlike anything currently available. At one-tenth the cost of flash memory, and 1,000 times as energy efficient, Programmable Metallization Cells (PMC) is bound to revolutionize the technology industry as we know it.

Michael Kozicki, director of Arizona State’s Center for Applied Nanoionics, and the developer of this new computer memory states the first product containing PMC memory is slated to launch in 18 months.

This new memory uses a technique that manipulates charged copper particles at the molecular scale. Instead of storing bits as an electronic charge, PMC creates nanowires from copper atoms the size of a virus to record binary ones and zeros. The key technology is that of nanoionics.

Sources:
* Wired October 26, 2007
* IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices October, 2007

Also see:
Goodbye Flash Memory We Hardly Knew Ya

Nanosciences