Novel resistive memory 'could supersede flash'

The device is based on the principles of resistive memory, which can be used to create memory cells that are smaller, operate at a higher speed and offer more storage capacity than flash memory cells, the current industry standard.

According to a statement, the key advance in the UC Riverside research is the creation of a zinc oxide nano-island on silicon that eliminates the need for a second element called a selector device, which is often a diode.

‘This is a significant step as the electronics industry is considering wide-scale adoption of resistive memory as an alternative for flash memory,’ said Jianlin Liu, a professor of electrical engineering at UC Riverside who is one of the authors of a paper detailing the research in Scientific Reports. ‘It really simplifies the process and lowers the fabrication cost.’

Flash memory has been the standard in the electronics industry for decades. But, as flash continues to get smaller and users want higher storage capacity, it appears to reaching the end of its lifespan, Liu said in a statement.