Phase change memory uses chalcogenide glass to change physical states based on heat and current, leading to increased memory capacity. It is non-volatile and can hold twice as much memory as other RAM chips, but requires stable heat and current control for optimal performance.
Phase change memory is a type of random access memory (RAM) chip that uses the phase change capabilities of chalcogenide glass. This glass is capable of changing states based on heat and current, and phase change memory literally changes its physical state during operation, which leads to increased memory capacity. Like many other RAM chips, phase shifting is non-volatile, which is often a more permanent and better performing type of memory. One of the biggest problems with using and creating this type of memory is also its benefit: heat and current cause memory to change states, so these need to be controlled effectively.
Most RAM chips are made up of electronic components, but phase change memory adds another material to the chip. Chalcogenide glass has been used in many products, such as compact discs (CDs), and is capable of changing its physical state in response to heat and current. The two common states through which this glass passes are amorphous and crystalline; both are very different and give this chip RAM advantages over other types.
The most obvious advantage that phase change memory has over other memory chips is an increase in memory threshold. Each state is different, so memory can be equally stored in each state. This means that phase-change RAM can often hold twice as much memory as other RAM chips. This leads to better RAM performance and allows a computer to use smaller chips so that the entire system can be made smaller.
Many RAM chips are non-volatile and phase change memory belongs to this classification. When a computer is turned off, electricity drains from all hardware components, which may or may not lead to loss of RAM memory. If the chip is volatile, this loss of electricity will cause the memory to disappear, while non-volatile chips hold the memory for hours. While this may not be useful if the computer is shut down for a long time, it allows phase change RAM to easily start a computer if the memory is still stored.
While phase change memory has an advantage because it can change state, this is also a problem when making a stable phase change RAM chip. Heat and current change the state of memory, so both of these factors need to be controlled or memory capacity can be reduced. This means that computers using this type of memory often need robust hardware components that keep heat and current stable, even during high processing times.
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