A computer memory device that can withstand temperatures of more than 500掳C could be used in spacecraft sent to explore Venus or the sun.
Computers use a technology called non-volatile memory to store data even after their power supply has been switched off 鈥� without it, today鈥檚 computers would consume too much power to be practical. However, these devices can鈥檛 currently withstand temperatures above 300掳C, which means in extreme environments like the surface of Venus, which reaches 475掳C, they need to be protected with bulky, expensive insulators to avoid failure.
Now, at the University of Pennsylvania and his colleagues have tested a kind of computer memory made from the semiconductor scandium aluminium nitride.
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Scandium aluminium nitride is a ferroelectric material, which means it can store electric charges. Jariwala and his team sandwiched the semiconductor between platinum and nickel, which can both withstand very high temperatures.
They found the device could endure at least 6 hours in temperatures above 500掳C and retain its memory. Based on theoretical calculations, it can probably last for longer and at higher temperatures, but the measurement devices couldn鈥檛 function beyond this level of heat, says Jariwala.
It鈥檚 unclear how much information the device can store, as the team didn鈥檛 test this. But it can be made extremely thin, which suggests it has a fairly high information density, up to a few kilobytes, says Jariwala. It is also compatible with silicon carbide computing devices, which are the most commonly used high-temperature electronics, he says.
鈥淎ny spacecraft that you might send further along, to probe the sun or something like that, is going to experience elevated temperatures. If you want to get rid of the packaging and cooling to save weight and power, this would be quite appropriate,鈥� says Jariwala.
鈥淭he work is a promising step forward towards filling an important gap in extreme-temperature electronics technology,鈥� says at the NASA Glenn Research Center in Ohio.
Neudeck and his team are currently working on a simple computer that can withstand 500掳C environments, and he says non-volatile memory that works at the same temperatures would improve the computer鈥檚 capabilities. However, first they need more tests to demonstrate its long-term durability and its ability to integrate with other systems, he adds.
arXiv
