Memory Cell for Data Storage I (06058TUB)

The most important factors for computer storage are: read/write speeds, storage density, endurance, reliability, and cost. DRAMs are short-term memories with high speed but the data must be refreshed over 100 times per second to maintain its memory. Flash memory can store data for years without refreshing, but writes information about 1000 times slower than DRAM.
The invention is a semiconductor nanostructure based nonvolatile memory cell that can provide the best of both DRAM and flash memory: long term storage with write speeds nearly as fast as DRAM. One difference from normal flash memory is varying the barrier height by changing the bias on the depletion region, enabling either retention or insertion of charge into the QD. A further difference is growing the QDs in the depletion region of a p-n junction, so that holes are stored in the QDs. Charge removal is achieved by using tunneling. The read mechanism is similar to that of flash memory.