Emerging memories

Which correctly describes how phase-change memory (PCM) stores data?

  1. AThrough differences in the magnetization direction of magnetic layers
  2. BThrough differences in resistance between the crystalline and amorphous states of a chalcogenide material
  3. CThrough the polarization direction of a ferroelectric
Show answer and explanation

Answer: B. Through differences in resistance between the crystalline and amorphous states of a chalcogenide material

PCM stores information by heating a chalcogenide material such as GeSbTe with Joule heating from current and cooling it rapidly, switching between a low-resistance crystalline state and a high-resistance amorphous state. The same kind of material has also been used in rewritable optical discs.

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More Emerging memories questions

  1. Which property does FeRAM (ferroelectric memory) use to store information?
  2. Which correctly describes how ReRAM (resistive memory) stores data?
  3. How is information written in STT-MRAM?
  4. Which correctly describes the position of 'storage-class memory'?
  5. Compared with flash memory, which is a general advantage of MRAM?