New prospects for silicon-based terabit memories and data storage systems

Recent calculations of Fowler-Nordheim tunnelling through 'crested' (graded ) tunnel barriers have indicated that floating-gate structures using such b arriers may combine multi-year retention time with nanosecond recharging ti me. This effect may be used for the implementation of terabit-scalable, non -volatile random-access memories (NOVORAM) and ultradense electrostatic dat a storage systems (ESTOR) which may revolutionize digital electronics. In p articular, if combined with ultrafast rapid single-flux-quantum (RSFQ) lose circuits, the new memory and storage techniques may lead to the developmen t, within a few years, of teraflops-scale desktop computers.