ULTRARAM: A game-changer ready to replace DRAM and NAND

A new contender in the quest for supplanting traditional RAM and NAND flash memory has emerged, offering promising advancements in speed, endurance, and energy efficiency.
 
ULTRARAM, made by Quinas Technology, a company from Lancaster University in the UK, is poised to shake up the memory market with its unique combination of features.

The current memory market is predominantly ruled by DRAM and NAND flash technologies. While DRAM boasts speed and endurance, it requires constant data refreshing due to its volatile nature. On the other hand, NAND flash, though non-volatile, suffers from slower performance and limited program/erase cycling endurance.

ULTRARAM promises to bridge these gaps by offering the best of both worlds: fast, non-volatile memory with exceptional endurance and minimal power consumption. Leveraging a quantum-mechanical phenomenon known as resonant tunnelling, ULTRARAM achieves non-volatility with efficient write and erase capabilities, setting new standards in memory technology.

Unlike conventional silicon-based memory, ULTRARAM utilises III-V compound semiconductors like gallium antimonide (GaSb), indium arsenide (InAs), and aluminium antimonide (AlSb). Its innovative "triple-barrier resonant-tunnelling" (TBRT) charge-confining structure enables swift transitions between resistive and conductive states, granting ULTRARAM its remarkable properties.

ULTRARAM's energy efficiency is indeed remarkable. Reported figures indicate that its switching energy per unit area is 100 times lower than DRAM; 1,000 times lower than flash memory; and over 10,000 times lower than other emerging memory technologies. Moreover, its endurance surpasses 10 million program/erase cycles without degradation, according to Quinas Technology.

The timing of ULTRARAM's development is auspicious, particularly as data centres face mounting energy consumption challenges. By reducing the energy requirements for data storage and retrieval, ULTRARAM holds promise for mitigating the environmental impact of the burgeoning data sector.