Development of new technologies to increase the capacity of the "Memory" Semiconductor.

Developed by the research team from the sea living Assistant Professor of Hokkaido, a new technique to increase the capacity of the computer information processing is indispensable to the "memory" Semiconductor. That may significantly increase the storage capacity than the current limit.
A lot of information that can be written as the character of a small notebook, a semiconductor memory, the "memory wire" written storage capacity increases as fine a circuit board. Is now written using light, in a computer or the line width of 35-45 nm (nano is 10/1 billion). According to the "International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors" But, peaked at around 10 nanometers can reduce the line width in the technology of today, to greet the limit around the year 2022, a storage capacity of alternative technologies have been studied.
The team processed into a thin film of 5-20 nanometers thick, a metal such as nickel or gold that is also used as a substrate material. Line used as a memory of the film thickness, succeeded in controlling the current required by the writing. Theoretically, it can be increased to about 10 times the current density to be written.
This technique has been reduced to less than one thousandth of the electrical resistance may cause fever. Said "I want to aim for practical application. You can handle more information, but also to save energy," assistant professor living sea. By all means, I want you to proceed with further research toward commercialization.




コンピューターの情報処理に欠かせない「半導体メモリー」の容量を増やす新たな技術を、北海道大の海住助教らの研究チームが開発した。記憶容量を現在の限界値より格段に増やせる可能性があるという。
　半導体メモリーは、ノートの文字が小さいほど多くの情報が書き込めるように、基板に回路を書き込む「メモリー線」が細いほど記憶容量が大きくなる。現在は光を使って書き込まれ、パソコンなどでの線幅は３５〜４５ナノメートル（ナノは１０億分の１）。しかし「国際半導体技術ロードマップ」によると、今の技術で線幅を縮めても１０ナノメートル前後で頭打ちとなり、記憶容量は２０２２年ごろに限界を迎えるため、代替技術が研究されている。
　チームは、基板の材料としても使われるニッケルや金などの金属を、厚さ５〜２０ナノメートルの薄膜に加工。その膜の厚みをメモリー線として使い、書き込みに必要な電流の制御に成功。理論上、書き込む密度を現状の約１０倍に増やせるという。
　この技術では発熱の原因となる電気抵抗も１０００分の１以下に抑えられた。海住助教は「より多くの情報を処理でき、省エネにもなる。実用化を目指したい」と話す。ぜひ、実用化に向けて更なる研究を進めて欲しいですね。