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Chinese researchers develop non-volatile flash memory capable of 25 billion operations per second

Researchers at Fudan University have developed a new non-volatile flash memory technology that could revolutionise storage. Named “PoX”, this flash memory could potentially bridge the performance gap between volatile and non-volatile memory, paving the way for advancements in data-intensive AI systems.

Traditional volatile memory solutions, such as SRAM and DRAM, offer fast write speeds (1-10 nanoseconds) but lose data when power is lost. Conversely, flash memory retains data without power but suffers from significantly slower write speeds (ranging from a few microseconds to milliseconds, depending on the technology), making it unsuitable for the real-time data processing demands of modern AI accelerators.

According to Tom's Hardware, Fudan University researchers, led by Prof. Zhou Peng of the State Key Laboratory of Integrated Chips and Systems, revolutionised flash memory physics by replacing silicon channels with two-dimensional Dirac graphene and harnessing its ballistic charge transport properties. Their key innovation lies in achieving “two-dimensional super-injection” by manipulating the “Gaussian length” of the channel, which allows for a significantly higher and faster surge of charge into the storage layer, thereby overcoming the inherent limitations of traditional injection methods.

These techniques enabled the memory to operate a single bit in 400 picoseconds (0.0000000004 seconds), which translates to roughly 25 billion operations per second. This represents a substantial improvement over the previous non-volatile memory programming speed record, which was approximately 2 million operations per second.

Flash memory's low cost and scalability have made it a cornerstone of the global semiconductor industry. However, experts believe Fudan's innovative approach, offering a “completely original mechanism”, could disrupt the existing memory landscape. In practical terms, mass-produced PoX-style memory could potentially replace separate high-speed SRAM caches in AI circuits, leading to space and energy savings. It could also enable instant-on, low-power operation for laptops and phones, as well as database engines with persistent RAM storage capabilities.

Fudan engineers are actively working to scale up the cell design for array-level demonstrations. While commercial partners have not been named, if the technology fulfils its promise while being able to be mass-produced, it shouldn't take long for companies to start developing products with PoX.

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