Chinese researchers develop single element switch for mass memory

Photo provided by the Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology shows the researcher from the institute conducts research.

SHANGHAI, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese researchers have developed a new type of single element tellurium switch, which is expected to upgrade the phase-change memory currently in use.

With advantages of high speed, low power consumption and three-dimensional integration, phase-change memory is regarded as a potential mass memory. But the complex component of its internal switch restricts the further improvement of its service life and storage density.

The new single element switch can be switched on and off within just 15 nanoseconds, and can be switched 100 million times before failure, according to the research paper recently published in the journal Science.

Developed by a research team from the Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the nanometer-sized switch has various advantages including high drive current and fast speed.

During the switching process, tellurium is melted and shows metallic property, providing a high drive current. When it is in solid state, the switch is off, said Zhu Min, a corresponding author of the paper and also a member of the research team.

The Science journal concurrently published a perspective calling the achievement unprecedented.