Scientific Breakthrough May Herald Vast Advances In Computer Memory & Storage

A recent scientific breakthrough in computer memory research could soon lead to consumers enjoying quicker, more sophisticated and more environmentally friendly computers.

Recently selected 2011 Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow at the University of Houston (UH), Vassiliy Lubchenko, won his third Tier One research award for his investigations into the building blocks for next-generation computer memory. The university’s assistant professor of chemistry won his recognition as a result of his studies of amorphous semiconductors for their applications in phase change computer memory, which has been suggested as a potential successor to flash memory.

The combination of computational modeling and analytical theories that is used in Lubchenko’s technique has led to the discovery that it is possible to control the reflectivity and conductivity of phase-change materials, and therefore encode information. This can be accomplished by varying the speed at which a melted material cools and forcing it to turn into a glassy solid or crystallized form.

Lubchenko added that glass transition was one of the most important, yet most poorly understood branches of modern physical chemistry, with the many unique anomalies exhibited by semiconductor glasses having spent decades baffling researchers. Lubchenko’s research has allowed scientists to make sense of this apparent disorder and instead confidently attribute such anomalies to the way the solids form from their corresponding liquids.

There are a number of ways in which Lubchenko’s discoveries look set to impact on consumers of computer memory. Phase change memory is a type of non-volatile memory that is between 500 and 1,000 times more powerful than the presently commonplace flash memory, in addition to using barely half as much power. Phase change memory makes use of a semiconductor alloy that can be rapidly switched between an ordered, crystalline phase which has low electrical resistance to an amorphous phase, which is disordered and has a far greater electrical resistance. Neither phase of the material requires electrical power to be maintained, making it non-volatile.

Thanks to such scientific breakthroughs, then, consumers may soon be in a position to look forward to machines that are not only quicker but that also boast more Apple memory and PC memory. They are also friendlier to the environment than the presently available flash memory systems. Phase change memory has been pioneered by such big names in computer memory as Samsung and Intel. It is also thought to be more cost-effective and reliable than flash memory, with many experts having predicted that it could accelerate the transition of the data storage market from hard disk drives to solid state disk drives.

Lubchenko’s breakthrough research means that the many benefits of phase change memory, including fast read speed, fast write/erase speed and good scalability could be set to make more frequent appearances in a wide range of both office and domestic environments.

To find out more about computer memory systems from Data Memory Systems, just visit http://www.datamemorysystems.com or call 800 662 7466.

DDR, DDR2 and DDR3 - What's the difference?

If you have a PC, you’ll no doubt be thankful for any opportunity that presents itself to give it a performance boost. And what better way to boost your computer’s performance than with added RAM? With more memory to play with, your computer can do everything faster – it simply has more ‘breathing room’ to do what it needs to do. It doesn’t help, though, if in the process of finding the most suitable memory upgrade for your computer, you simply find yourself being baffled and overwhelmed by acronyms and specification sheets. After all, not all of us are the ‘technical type’!

One of these acronyms that you may come across is DDR, which stands for Double-Data-Rate. Double-Data-Rate Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory, or DDR SDRAM or DDR RAM, is a type of very fast PC memory. DDR RAM shares the architecture on which it is based with SDRAM, but due to utilizing the clock signal differently, transfers twice as much data in the same amount of time. DIMM is another acronym you’ll see often, referring to the DDR’s dual in-line memory modules.

DDR2 based systems began to be produced by manufacturers in mid-2004, and represent an evolution of the DDR architecture. They deliver faster speeds than DDR, with bandwidth of 5.3GB per second or more. DDR2 supports improvements in chipsets and other system components and increases system performance to the point where data rates of 667MHz or more are possible. Its dual channel systems reduce system latency time and process memory more efficiently. It better handles the now increasingly common memory-intensive applications of today’s computer systems and also has lower power consumption, lower operating temperatures and a lowered operating voltage of 1.8 volts, compared to DDR’s 2.5 volts and SDRAM’s 3.3 volts.

The only question that is left to answer, then, is how DDR3 internal memory systems differ from both DDR2 and DDR. What isn’t true is that DDR3 is simply a faster version of DDR2, which is actually one of the most frequently spread pieces of misinformation about the technology. It does, however, further improve on DDR2 in certain shared areas. Its fabrication process is further refined, meaning that its integrated circuit (IC) module is more efficient. It also has DDR2’s same DIMM profile and overall appearance, despite lacking the same key placements and pin connections. Technically speaking, however, there are no more similarities between the two.

So, what are the differences with the DDR3 memory standard? Well, its features include support for system level flight time compensation. DDR3 also improves over DDR2 in that it offers an increase in higher bandwidth performance, up to 1600 MHz. It also has a DIMM-terminated ‘fly by’ command bus, and is constructed with high-precision load line calibration resistors. There are further improvements in terms of power consumption and operating temperatures, too: DDR3 offers greater performance at low power input, while its enhanced low power features also conserve more energy. Finally, the DIMM is now operated cooler thanks to an improved thermal design.

DDR RAM is generally intended for processors 1GHz and faster. You’ll see certain designations of DDR RAM, from PC1600 DDR SDRAM to PC3200 DDR SDRAM, which refers to particular FSB and CPU speeds. Different schemes are used by AMD and Intel to designate processor speed, and it can be confusing to work out the various technicalities involved in RAM designations and standards, so don’t be afraid to find a memory upgrade online store that can advise you on the right DDR, DDR2 or DD3 system for you. Before you purchase memory, take a look through your motherboard manual to see what RAM type is compatible with your own system.

To find out more about DDR, DD2 and DDR3 technology from the PC and Apple memory experts at Data Memory Systems, just visit http://www.datamemorysystems.com.