LETI: Memory cell

2023: Creating Technology

Scientists of the St. Petersburg State Electrotechnical University "LETI" have developed a memory cell for optical computers of the future - information is recorded on a new device using light pulses of different intensity. The press service of the university announced this in May 2023.

We have developed an optical memory cell, which is an annular microresonator capable of changing its characteristics and demonstrating two different stable states under the influence of a laser. We can switch between them by adjusting the power of the optical signal that is applied to the ring. By analogy with writing information on ordinary memory elements, one state corresponds to zero, and the other to one, "said Andrei Nikitin, associate professor of the Department of Physical Electronics and Technology (FET) of St. Petersburg State Technical University" LETI. "

In St. Petersburg, developed an optical cell of RAM for computers of a new generation

The creation of an optical memory cell became possible due to the fact that earlier LETI scientists discovered the effect of charge bistability - the existence of two different stable states depending on the history of the resonance system - arising from two-photon absorption.

The cell is an annular microresonator with a diameter of 256 μm and a thickness of 0.25 μm, made using silicon-on-insulator technology. The device is made according to a widespread method of manufacturing components for semiconductor electronics - CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor structure).

According to the developers, their technology can be used to design RAM for optical computers and other next-generation computing devices that use the principles of radiophotonics in their work. Such optical cells can be produced using existing technologies, LETI said^[1]

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