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Memory Capacitor Made from Field Configurable Ion-Doped Materials

Technology Benefits

Highly scalable Greater data density Simpler and smaller cell structure compared to MRAM Low operational voltage

Technology Application

Creation of a novel non-volatile solid-state memory Implementation in nonlinear analog circuits Use in neuromorphic computer architectures

Detailed Technology Description

Researchers at UCLA have created a novel memory capacitor based on a field-configurable ion-doped polymer that can be dynamically and reversibly programmed to analog capacitances with low-voltage (<5V) pulses. After the device capacitance was configured to a specific value, it changed by less than 10% under continual reading conditions for five days.

Supplementary Information

Patent Number: US8531006B2
Application Number: US2010941005A
Inventor: Chen, Yong
Priority Date: 5 Nov 2009
Priority Number: US8531006B2
Application Date: 5 Nov 2010
Publication Date: 10 Sep 2013
IPC Current: H01L002993
US Class: 257595 | 257E29344 | 365149
Assignee Applicant: The Regents of the University of California
Title: Memory capacitor made from field configurable ion-doped materials
Usefulness: Memory capacitor made from field configurable ion-doped materials
Summary: Memory capacitor device used in field programmable filters, field programmable couplers/de-couplers, field programmable resonator, field programmable analog circuit, field programmable nonlinear circuit, field programmable signal processing circuit, field programmable automatic control circuit, and neuromorphic circuit.
Novelty: Memory capacitor device has nonvolatile capacitance which is modifiable to arbitrary analog values as function of voltage bias which is applied to electrodes

Industry

Electronics

Sub Category

Circuit Design

Application No.

8531006

Others

State Of Development

Researchers have constructed and demonstrated the nonvolatile analog memory capacitor. Further, experiments have been conducted to understand the switching mechanisms and underlying principles of the design.

Background

The modification of ionic concentrations in solid-state materials under the influence of an electric field offers rich physics and novel device functions. For example, memory resistors utilize ionic drift under an applied electric field to induce nonvolatile changes in material conductivity. A step forward in that line of research is the memory capacitor, in which not only the charge stored in the device but also its capacitance can be modified as a function of voltage applied to the device.

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• A PCR-Free Direct Genomic Detection Technique Based on Rolling Circle Amplified Probes
• Synaptic Resistor With Signal Processing, Memory, And Learning Functions

Tech ID/UC Case

22318/2009-441-0

Related Cases

2009-441-0

*Abstract

UCLA researchers in the Department of Mechanical Engineering have created a novel memory capacitor storage device that can be dynamically and reversibly programmed to analog capacitances with low-voltage (<5V) pulses.

*Applications

• Creation of a novel non-volatile solid-state memory
• Implementation in nonlinear analog circuits
• Use in neuromorphic computer architectures

*IP Issue Date

Sep 10, 2013

*Principal Investigator

Name: Yong Chen

Department:

Country/Region

USA