Multi-Bit Phase Change Memory

IBM research – Zurich has announced a new type of inexpensive and reliable universal non-volatile memory, called phase change memory (PCM). Shattering records, it supposedly reads and writes 100 times faster than conventional flash-based memory with a latency of 10microseconds, and is also several of orders of magnitude more reliable, with 10 million estimated write-cycles.

Surprisingly, the technology behind phase change memory is not expensive, and can be commercially used for a variety of devices requiring storage and memory, from servers to tablets. It is not going to be hitting markets very soon; with IBM starting the technology would enable “a paradigm shift for enterprise IT and Storage system, including cloud computing by 2016.”

IBM’s phase memory is built using cells created from a special alloy, which can be electrically controlled into different physical states-crystalline with low resistance properties, amorphous with high resistance properties, amorphous with high resistance properties. Each alloy cell is capable of storing four data bits using different resistance levels, making it the first multi-bit phase-change memory with reliable retention – only single bit PCM was capable of this earlier.

From my side the IBM is one of the best companies. For any further queries and answers please feel free to reply.

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