Carbon-based memory to speed up computing

18th January 2017

Enaie Azambuja

0 0

Carbon-based memory materials promise to revolutionise how data is stored and to take computing to a new age in terms of speed, efficiency and power. Improved data storage represents the backbone of the knowledge economy, as well as modern industry, business and multimedia. Creating non-volatile data storage can be accomplished through new carbon-based memory materials, which was the aim of the EU-funded CARERAMM (Carbon resistive random access memory materials) project.

The project team investigated how to develop eco-friendly, cost-effective and energy-efficient memory materials that are scalable to the molecular level and boast a sub-nanosecond switching time with advanced functionality overall.

To achieve its aims the team worked on two areas. On one hand it investigated amorphous-carbon based materials and devices in order to supplement current memory technologies such as hard disks and flash memory.

On the other it considered graphene-oxide memories for possible use in flexible electronics applications. Storage capabilities in both concepts involved electrical resistive switching, which led to more in-depth research on the topic and establishment of the technology’s limitations, including minimum device size, temperature range and switching speed.

The work involved experiments to pinpoint predicted lifetime at different temperatures, multi-level storage capability, suitability within specific applications, and several other pivotal parameters required to develop the technology. After intensive laboratory work, the team successfully built and characterised prototype devices that achieved almost all of the desired objectives.

CARERAMM built nanometre amorphous-carbon based devices with sub-petajoule switching energy and oversaw their successful operation at temperatures reaching 300 degrees C. The project built graphene oxide-based devices with 4-level storage and endurance on flexible substrates, as well as GO-based devices that can resist more than 10,000 bending cycles and high bending radii.

Overall the team has produced valuable knowledge on the cutting-edge of resistive switching concerning both amorphous carbon and graphene oxide based materials and devices. It combined atomistic scale modelling with nanoscale characterisation to improve switching considerably, paving the way for the commercialisation of advanced carbon-based memory in the near future.