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.'"

Comments

Re:Quantum effects?

[Khyber]

"Seriously, I don't think this has much potential for engineering, as much as it may be clever science.'

Too bad your high UID pretty much guarantees your ignorance in this field, I've got several workable applications already in mind for this. Hello, 300+ irradiant lumens per watt output capability, good-bye HID lamps.

I think you need to study more quantum sciences before talking any further.

~Director of Research, EcogroLED USA.