Data storage that can operate in extreme environments like Venus is developed
The development of electronic devices in extreme environments requires non-volatile memory devices such as SSDs that can operate stably at high temperatures. However, conventional non-volatile memory devices break down when they reach temperatures of approximately 300 degrees. A new non-volatile memory device based on a ferroelectric diode announced by a research team at the University of Pennsylvania can operate at temperatures up to 600 degrees, and is expected to be able to operate in extreme environments such as Venus.
A scalable ferroelectric non-volatile memory operating at 600 °C | Nature Electronics
Turning up the heat on data storage | Penn Today
https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/penn-engineering-jariwala-turning-heat-data-storage
AI computers could run in extreme environments like Venus thanks to heat-proof memory device | Live Science
https://www.livescience.com/technology/computing/ai-computers-could-run-in-extreme-environments-like-venus-thanks-to-heat-proof-memory-device
The research team developed a diode made of a material called ferroelectric aluminum scandium nitride (AlScN). The memory device is structured like an AlScN diode sandwiched between nickel and platinum electrodes. The AlScN diode layer is 45 nanometers thick, about 1/1800 the size of a human hair.
According to the research team, it took several months to find the optimal thickness because if the material was too thin, it became too active and degraded rapidly, and if it was too thick, it lost its ferroelectricity.
'The crystal structure of AlScN makes the bonds between its atoms remarkably stable and strong, which means it is not only heat-resistant but also extremely durable,' said Dhiren Pradhan, lead author of the paper. 'More remarkable, the design and properties of our memory device enable fast switching of electrical states, which is essential for writing and reading data at high speeds.'
According to the research team, the non-volatile memory device using this AlScN diode can support one million data reads and maintain a stable on/off ratio for more than six hours, which is an unprecedented result.
The memory device developed by the research team can operate at up to 600 degrees. For example, Venus, a planet closer to the sun than Earth, has an extreme environment with temperatures of about 460 degrees both day and night, and devices equipped with conventional memory devices may not work well. However, memory devices using this AlScN diode are expected to work without any problems.
by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center
'Our memory device has the potential to enable advanced computing capabilities that other electronics and memory devices cannot support, from deep Earth drilling to space exploration,' said Deep Jariwala, an associate professor of electrical and systems engineering at the University of Pennsylvania. 'This is not just about improving devices; it's about opening up new frontiers in science and technology.'
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