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IBM Demos Single-Atom DRAM

An anonymous reader writes "A single-atom DRAM was demonstrated by IBM recently with a slow-mo movie of the atomic process of setting and erasing a bit on a single atom. Videos of atomic processes inside chips were not possible until now, leading to IBM's claim that its pulsed-STM (used to make the movie) will lead to a new atomic-scale semiconductor industry, and not just for memory chips, according to this EETimes story: 'The ultimate memory chips of the future will encode bits on individual atoms, a capability recently demonstrated for iron atoms by IBM's Almaden Research Center in San Jose, Calif., which unveiled a new pulsed technique for scanning tunneling microscopes (STMs). Pulsed-STMs yield nanosecond time-resolution, a requirement for designing the atomic-scale memory chips, solar panels and quantum computers of the future, but also for making super efficient organic solar cells by controlling photovoltaic reactions on the atomic level.'"

15 of 150 comments (clear)

  1. On speeding up the atoms... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Does microwaving it make it go faster?

  2. where on the periodic table? by Average_Joe_Sixpack · · Score: 3, Funny

    are we talking H or Uuq sized DRAM? because I don't want to be obsolete within a year.

    1. Re:where on the periodic table? by man_of_mr_e · · Score: 3, Funny

      And we come full circle. IBM started with Iron core memory, and now they're doing it again.

    2. Re:where on the periodic table? by bersl2 · · Score: 2, Funny

      What about the e+ memory? I heard that it's completely incompatible with the e-.

    3. Re:where on the periodic table? by Lehk228 · · Score: 2, Funny

      both are part of a trinary ECC memory. when an error is detected, it explodes

      --
      Snowden and Manning are heroes.
  3. Just one atom? by iceaxe · · Score: 5, Funny

    One atom ought to be enough for anybody.

    (Sorry)

    --
    WALSTIB!
  4. Big deal... by skynexus · · Score: 5, Funny

    the processor on my computer runs on a single Atom already. I'm not impressed.

    1. Re:Big deal... by n1hilist · · Score: 4, Funny

      I overclocked mine and it split :(

  5. Atoms by transwarp · · Score: 2, Funny

    This gives new meaning to atomic writes.

  6. Re:Quantum effects? by harley78 · · Score: 2, Funny

    yes and no, just don't ever try to access the data...

  7. Nothing to see here by meteficha · · Score: 2, Funny

    We Haskellers already use STM since a long time.

  8. Re:And by Moore's Law... by jameskojiro · · Score: 5, Funny

    1 year after that we will be encoding data on quarks themselves.....

    6 months later we will make neutrinos our bitches for storing and processing data....

    3 months after that we will be creating even smaller particles from cosmic strings to process and store data int he fabric of spacetime.

    1 day later we will make God cry.

    --
    Tsukasa: All I really want, is to be left alone...
  9. Re:Even more vulnerable to radiation? by hairyfeet · · Score: 3, Funny

    Oh good Lord why? it is already hard enough to find the dang cell phone or where you laid your flash stick now, can you imagine having to hunt for your portadrive like a fricking contact lens? It'll be "OMG! Nobody move, or sneeze, or fart, or disturb the air! I just dropped my flash and it has a paper due today! ZOMG!"

    --
    ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
  10. Re:Where on the DRAM spectrum? by vidnet · · Score: 4, Funny

    Who would want to carry around a cryostat with [their] laptop?

    Just slap an Apple logo on it, and people will never leave home without it.

  11. Old hat by SpaghettiPattern · · Score: 2, Funny

    This is so horribly old hat. I mean, we know atoms for ages now so IBM needn't be smug about them. IBM, stop wasting our time and give the world a call as soon as single Higgs boson DRAM is available to retailers!

    Now, what was I doing again? Yes, studying Xiph' Digital Media Primer For Geeks and appreciating sample videos with scarcely clothed women.

    --

    I hadn't the slightest objection to his spending his time planning massacres for the bourgeoisie... (P.G. Wodehouse)