Memory materials

Towards low-energy computing

Abstract

We have come a long way since the early days of computing, when a hard disk weighed a ton and could store a fraction of the information a modern smartphone can hold. Since then, on-going advances in materials science have given rise to new kinds of memory devices. In a departure from traditional transistor-based technologies, researchers at the Institute for Physical Chemistry are seeking to design and investigate novel materials that exceed conventional semiconductor performance and reduce the amount of energy required both for storing and processing information. One approach is based on solution-processable materials that respond to light. Being able to read and access information by all-optical means would simplify the design of memory devices and could, in future, play a crucial role in reducing the substantial amounts of energy required to meet our computing needs.