Readings on Memory Technologies

• An Overview with simple summaries of FLASH, M-RAM, and PRAM
• IEEE Overview article on emerging memories

FLASH

• MRS article on FLASH
•  Intel's Tutorial on FLASH Memory
• How Stuff Works Tutorial on FLASH

Magnetic Hard Drives

• IBM’s How a Hard Drive Works (cool videos)
• How Stuff Works Tutorial on Hard Drives

Ovonyx Unified Memory: A phase change technology

• Intel's Overview of OUM
• Ovonyx's Short Intro to OUM
• Ovonyx Technical Presentation on OUM

MRAM (Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory)

• Washington Week News article on MRAM
• One Page Overview of M-RAM
• IEEE Overview of MRAM
• MRS article on MRAM

Class 1 & 2: Overview of Non-volatile Memory

Read the first three pages (805-807) of this MRS overview 

Read this Solid State Technology overview of emerging memory technology (Note, you will have to register your email for this site but it is free.  You can get a hard copy in class if you don't wish to sign up on their site.)

Think about the questions below as you read:

• What is non-volatile (versus volatile) memory?
• What is the most common volatile memory?  What is it's main fault?
• What is the most common non-volatile memory?
• Why is their a strong emphasis right now on finding different non-volatile memory options?
• List some of the options being researched.
• What are some of the important aspects to consider when evaluating a memory technology? 
• What might be important added constraints in memory for a portable device?

Read Chapter 3 of Callister

Think about the definitions for:

• Unit cell
• Lattice
• Lattice site/ point
• FCC and BCC
• single crystal
• polycrystalline

Class 3: Definition of Resistivity & Overview of

Read Callister 18.1-18.10 and think about

• What is Ohm's Law?
• What is the difference between resistivity and conductivity?
• What is the difference between resistivity and resistance?
• How do the atomic orbitals in a lone atom become bands in a solid?
• What is difference between band structures in metals, semiconductors, and insulators?
• How do these differing band structures lead to differing conductivities?

Class 4: Semiconductor Doping & NMOS (FLASH)

  Callister 18.10-18.11

• What is an intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductor?

• What is a donor?

• What is an acceptor?

MRS article on FLASH and Intel's Tutorial on FLASH Memory. 

• Draw a schematic of a FLASH device and label the metals, semiconductors, and insulators.

Class 5: Capacitance and FLASH Operation (FLASH)

 Callister 18.15

• What does MOSFET stand for?

• Draw a schematic of a MOSFET transistor.

MRS article on FLASH and Intel's Tutorial on FLASH Memory

• What is the difference between the two memory states?

• What does scaling mean?  Why do they want to scale a FLASH device?  Why is it difficult?

Class 6: Fundamentals of what makes a material magnetic

Callister 20.1-20.5

• What is the difference between B, M, and H?

• Write the relationship between current and the magnetic field generated.

• What is a magnetic moment?

• What is ferromagnetism?

Class 7: Magnetic Domains, Hysteresis

Callister 20.6-20.7

• What is a domain?

• Draw a hysteresis loop labeling the coercive field, saturation magnetization, and remnant magnetization.

This is a multi-university effort with contributions from:

Chemical and Materials Engineering Prof. Stacy Gleixner Prof. Hilary Lackritz	Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Prof. Olivia Graeve	Materials Science and Engineering Prof. Elliot Douglas
Engineering Prof. Laura Demsetz		Materials Science and Engineering Prof. Amy Moll

The curriculum development is a three year long project sponsored by the National Science Foundation (DUE #0341633).  The development work began in June 2004.  Stay tuned to this site for updates on our progress.

This page is maintained by Prof. Stacy Gleixner.  
San Jose State University
Questions or problems please send email to gleixner@email.sjsu.edu or call (408)924-4051.
The page was last updated 03/02/06 .