A hybrid memory device in which silicon nanowires are combined with a more traditional type of data storage has been fabricated by scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (MST), along with colleagues at George Mason University and Kwangwoon University, Korea. Their hybrid structure may be more reliable than other nanowire-based memory devices and is more easily integrated into commercial applications. The researchers grew the nanowires onto a layered oxide-nitride-oxide substrate. Applying a positive voltage across the wires causes electrons in the wires to tunnel down into the substrate, charging it. A negative voltage causes the electrons to tunnel back up into the wires. This process is the key to the device's memory function: when fully charged, each nanowire device stores a single bit of information, either a "0" or a "1" depending on the position of the electrons. When no voltage is present, the stored information can be read.
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