麻豆淫院

(麻豆淫院Org.com) -- Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a new device that represents a significant advance for computer memory, making large-scale "server farms" more energy efficient and allowing computers to start more quickly.

Traditionally, there are two types of computer memory devices. Slow memory devices are used in persistent data storage technologies such as flash drives. They allow us to save information for extended periods of time, and are therefore called nonvolatile devices. Fast memory devices allow our computers to operate quickly, but aren鈥檛 able to save data when the computers are turned off. The necessity for a constant source of power makes them volatile devices.

But now a research team from NC State has developed a single 鈥渦nified鈥� device that can perform both volatile and nonvolatile memory operation and may be used in the main memory.

鈥淲e鈥檝e invented a new device that may revolutionize computer memory,鈥� says Dr. Paul Franzon, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at NC State and co-author of a paper describing the research. 鈥淥ur device is called a double floating-gate field effect transistor (FET). Existing nonvolatile memory used in data storage devices utilizes a single floating gate, which stores charge in the floating gate to signify a 1 or 0 in the device 鈥� or one 鈥榖it鈥� of information. By using two floating gates, the device can store a bit in a nonvolatile mode, and/or it can store a bit in a fast, volatile mode 鈥� like the normal main memory on your computer.鈥�

The double floating-gate FET could have a significant impact on a number of computer problems. For example, it would allow computers to start immediately, because the computer wouldn鈥檛 have to retrieve start-up data from its hard drive 鈥� the data could be stored in its main memory.

The new device would also allow 鈥減ower proportional computing.鈥� For example, Web server farms, such as those used by Google, consume an enormous amount of power 鈥� even when there are low levels of user activity 鈥� in part because the server farms can鈥檛 turn off the power without affecting their main memory.

鈥淭he double floating-gate FET would help solve this problem,鈥� Franzon says, 鈥渂ecause data could be stored quickly in nonvolatile memory 鈥� and retrieved just as quickly. This would allow portions of the server memory to be turned off during periods of low use without affecting performance.鈥�

Franzon also notes that the research team has investigated questions about this technology鈥檚 reliability, and that they think the device 鈥渃an have a very long lifetime, when it comes to storing data in the volatile mode.鈥�