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IBM's Optical Storage Is 50 Times Faster Than Flash, And Also Cheaper (prnewswire.com)

Posted by msmash on from the beaming-its-way-in dept.

Flash storage is not as fast as the main memory (RAM); but RAM can't be used to store your regular files because of its volatile nature (and also because it's expensive). It appears we may soon have the perfect middle ground of the two. Scientists at IBM have demonstrated reliably storing 3 bits of data per cell using a relatively new memory technology known as phase-change memory (PCM). Engadget reports: To store PCM data on a Blu-ray disk, you apply a high current to amorphous (non-crystalline) glass materials, transforming them into a more conductive crystal form. To read it back, you apply a lower voltage to measure conductivity -- when it's high, the state is "1," and when it's low, it's "0." By heating up the materials, more states can be stored, but the problem is that the crystals can "drift" depending on the ambient temperature. IBM's team figured out how to track and encode those variations, allowing them to reliably read 3-bits of data per cell long after it was written. That suddenly makes PCM a lot more interesting -- its speed is currently much better than flash, but the costs are as high as RAM thanks to the low density.

19 of 77 comments (clear)

  1. So it's cheaper by goombah99 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    in the sense that it costs more?

    --
    Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
    1. Re:So it's cheaper by fishscene · · Score: 2

      That *is* odd... but perhaps it's because they just can't even.

    2. Re:So it's cheaper by rahvin112 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      About the same as claiming it's an optical format when it's actually phase change. Throw those buzz words in.

      Phase change memory already exists as Intel/Micron XPoint memory which should go on sale later this year (it already been sampling for a few months).

    3. Re:So it's cheaper by DoofusOfDeath · · Score: 2

      in the sense that it costs more?

      They make up for it in volume.

      Math!

  2. Whoa. by charlesbakerharris · · Score: 5, Funny

    That must make it, like, 500 times faster than Silverlight.

  3. Re:Get your facts straight... is it cheaper or not by crunchygranola · · Score: 3, Insightful

    In addition, phase change memory is not "optical". Cr@ppy summary, even for /.

    --
    Second class citizen of the New Gilded Age
  4. Ternary Digits by Art+Challenor · · Score: 2

    Finally! Ternary Digits, now I won't be twiddling bits all day.

    1. Re:Ternary Digits by fnj · · Score: 4, Funny

      So you'll be biddling twits all day instead?

      You messed it up. It goes like this: if binary digits are bits, ternary digits must be tits. Twiddling tits. That's what he'll be doing.

    2. Re:Ternary Digits by omnichad · · Score: 2

      It's Octonary. There are 8 states per cell, meaning 3 bits of storage. Unless it's just a really badly written article.

  5. Not optical, not fast, not 3DXP by duckintheface · · Score: 5, Informative

    Despite the use of the term "optical" there is nothing optical or "blue-ray disk" about this. Calcogenide glass is the PCM material. It is written and read with the application of voltage. There is no spinning disk involved.

    The most obvious omission is a comparison to the Micron/Intel 3D Cross Point memory announced last summer and scheduled for commercial introduction in 2017. 3DXP is 1000 times faster than flash (not just 50 times faster). There would also seem to be a number of patent issues since 3DXP also uses calcogenide crystals as the storage medium.

    It is journalistic malpractice to write an article like the two linked here without comparing the IBM research to the previously announced work by Micron and Intel.

    --
    "He took a duck in the face at 250 knots." -- William Gibson, Pattern Recognition
    1. Re:Not optical, not fast, not 3DXP by wile_e_wonka · · Score: 2

      Can I sue for "journalistic malpractice"?

    2. Re: Not optical, not fast, not 3DXP by jd2112 · · Score: 3, Funny

      I once suggested that for Earth Day, the St. Louis Post Dispatch could state they are going green by wrapping copper wire around the corpse of Joseph Pulitzer (founder of STLPD in addition to having journalism award named for him) and powering their printing presses by him spinning in his grave.

      --
      Any insufficiently advanced magic is indistinguishable from technology.
    3. Re: Not optical, not fast, not 3DXP by jd2112 · · Score: 2

      I once suggested that for Earth Day, the St. Louis Post Dispatch could state they are going green by wrapping copper wire around the corpse of Joseph Pulitzer and powering their printing presses by him spinning in his grave.

      --
      Any insufficiently advanced magic is indistinguishable from technology.
  6. Confusing Summary by DavidMZ · · Score: 2

    PCM is not limited to re-writable Blu-Ray, it is actually used in memory chips.

    Micron used to manufacture PCM memory chips and dropped them in 2014. There are also some debate regarding whether IMFT's 3D XPoint is also PCM or not.

    The real innovation in IBM's work is turning PCM into a TLC, and that is really impressive.

  7. I told you guys PCM was going to be here. by Khyber · · Score: 2

    One of the few techs to actually hit market within about 10 years of being proven feasible.

    It's good stuff, but this stuff is slow in comparison to Intel/Micron's stuff.

    If IBM partnered with AMD on making a 3D stacked version of this, they could easily catch up or even be faster, with higher bandwidth to boot.

    --
    Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
  8. Re:Failing to see what part is "optical" by MightyYar · · Score: 3, Funny

    You can see it.

    --
    W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
  9. Summary, and possibly the story, are nonsense. by friesofdoom · · Score: 5, Informative

    "To store PCM data on a Blu-ray disk, you apply a high current to amorphous (non-crystalline) glass materials, transforming them into a more conductive crystal form. To read it back, you apply a lower voltage to measure conductivity -- when it's high, the state is "1," and when it's low, it's "0.""

    1. We do not write to blue ray disc by applying a voltage, we shine lasers at it.
    2. The summary seems to have confused the fact that Chalcogenide is used in both RW Optical media, and phase-change memory.
    3. The summary thinks that IBM has invented a new optical memory, when they are clearly talking about phase-change memory.
    4. The summary has confused two acronyms of PCM - Phase Change Memory and Pulse Coded Modulation.

    This whole summary is utterly cringe-inducing and complete garbage. Sorry.

  10. Re:3d X-point memory by mark-t · · Score: 2

    Just because something doesn't run out, doesn't mean that you never need more of it.

    Ask any serious Lego enthusiast.

    --
    File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'
  11. Memresistors are going to make this all obsolete by TheNarrator · · Score: 2

    HP's memresistor project "The machine" is going to so thrash this technology to hell and back. They are talking about petabytes of data as fast as ram. You won't need to have a separation between ram and disk anymore. They already have prototype and they should show up in a few years.

    http://fortune.com/2016/03/02/...