PHASE CHANGE MEMORY

Organization Name

international business machines corporation

Inventor(s)

Kangguo Cheng of Schenectady NY (US)

Juntao Li of Cohoes NY (US)

Julien Frougier of ALBANY NY (US)

Ruilong Xie of Niskayuna NY (US)

PHASE CHANGE MEMORY - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 20240180047 titled 'PHASE CHANGE MEMORY

Simplified Explanation

The apparatus described in the patent application includes a substrate with two electrodes attached to its upper face, and a bridge of phase-change-memory material connecting the electrodes, which can switch between low and high resistance solid phases.

The apparatus consists of a substrate with an upper face.
Two electrodes are attached to the upper face of the substrate.
A bridge of phase-change-memory material connects the electrodes on the upper face of the substrate.
The bridge can switch between a low resistance solid phase and a high resistance solid phase.

Potential Applications

This technology could be used in:

Memory storage devices
Logic circuits
Neuromorphic computing systems

Problems Solved

This technology helps in:

Improving memory storage efficiency
Enhancing computing speed
Reducing power consumption in electronic devices

Benefits

The benefits of this technology include:

Faster data processing
Lower energy consumption
Increased reliability of electronic devices

Potential Commercial Applications

The potential commercial applications of this technology could be:

Data centers
Consumer electronics
Automotive electronics

Possible Prior Art

One possible prior art for this technology is the use of phase-change-memory materials in memory storage devices.

Unanswered Questions

How does the thermal switching process affect the overall performance of the apparatus?

The thermal switching process between the low and high resistance solid phases may impact the speed and efficiency of data processing in the apparatus.

What are the potential challenges in scaling up this technology for mass production?

Scaling up this technology for mass production may pose challenges in terms of cost, manufacturing processes, and quality control.

Original Abstract Submitted

an apparatus includes a substrate that has an upper face; a first electrode that is attached to the upper face of the substrate; a second electrode that is attached to the upper face of the substrate at a distance from the first electrode; and a bridge of phase-change-memory material that is attached to and lies along the upper face of the substrate between and electrically connecting the first and second electrodes. at least a portion of the bridge is thermally switchable between a low resistance solid phase and a high resistance solid phase. in some embodiments, the apparatus also includes access devices that are disposed between the electrodes and the substrate, with the bridge being electrically connected between the access devices. at least a portion of the bridge is thermally switchable between a low resistance solid phase and a high resistance solid phase.