Phase-change material with unexpected optical-reflectivity properties offers fresh perspectives for data storage
Wednesday, January 16, 2013 - 09:00
in Physics & Chemistry
Memory is a central component of any computer or mobile device. Digital memories must not only store large amounts of data in a small space—and in a way that it is conveniently written, read and erased—but also meet ever-increasing demands on their size as well as their speed and energy efficiency. Phase-change materials, which switch their physical properties depending on whether they are in their crystalline or non-crystalline form, are being used to meet these requirements. A new kind of phase-change material with interesting features for memory applications—and with unexpected optical characteristics—has now been discovered by Wen Dong Song from the A*STAR Data Storage Institute and co-workers in Singapore.