Elad Mentovich, of Tel Aviv University developed a memory transistor using carbon molecules

Elad Mentovich, a PhD candidate at the Tel Aviv University, has developed a memory transistor using carbon molecules that can be used to both transfer and store energy and eliminate the requirement for a capacitor. Smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices are becoming popular the hardware of the future and these devices are on par with their predecessors, laptop or desktop, in terms of storage capacity and computing power. However, these mobile devices have limited usage due to low RAM memory, which restricts the number of applications that can be operated at one time and consumes battery power rapidly. Hence, the idea of developing a sophisticated transistor, which can perform the function of both a capacitor and a transistor, was a dream till now. Mentovich has achieved this and the molecular memory transistor helps to overcome the afore-mentioned problems.

Mentovich used carbon molecules, called C60, made of 60 carbon atoms, and placed them within the channels of a transistor. This resulted in a high-speed, smaller-than-silicone transistor as small as 1 nm that can perform the work of a capacitor. The product is now ready to be manufactured at existing advanced fabrication plants.

Mentovich stated that the integration of the innovative technology into next-generation devices will create higher memory on users’ tablets and smartphones, thus reaching the level of a PC or laptop. With this memory, users can run several applications simultaneously and as the product requires low voltage, there will be less power consumption and longer battery life. The next step of TAU is to discover a fabrication plant with the essential materials to manufacture the molecular memory transistors.