Storage life extended for flash storage

Ars Technica : NAND flash is a data storage technology that is common in most modern electronic products ranging from MP3 players to cell phones. In all flash storage devices, data is stored as electrical charges. However, devices that use the technology have a limited lifespan because every time data are erased from the flash cells, some of the charge is retained. Over time, the charge builds up, increasing the time it takes to write and read the data, until the cells are no longer effective for storage. Researchers at Macronix, a major supplier of NAND flash technology, have developed a new design for NAND flash devices that allows them to increase the lifespan from 1000 write/erase cycles to over 100 million cycles. The redesigned flash cells are able to conduct heat as well as charge, so by heating the cells to 800 °C, the residual charge from the write/erase cycles is removed. The key development by Macronix is that this process doesn’t require heating the entire NAND flash chip, which isn’t practical in most electronic devices. Instead, the heat is passed directly to the cells. If Macronix can bring this development to market, it will pave the way for even more advanced and higher density NAND flash designs.