Chinese researchers achieve making world's fastest flash memory device: Nature

A Chinese research team has developed a revolutionary flash memory device that can store data at a speed of one bit per 400 picoseconds, setting a new record for the fastest semiconductor storage device ever reported.

This groundbreaking research result by Shanghai-based Fudan University researchers was published in Nature on Wednesday.

Named "PoX," this non-volatile memory outperforms even the fastest volatile memory technologies, which take around one to ten nanoseconds to store one bit of data. A picosecond is one-thousandth of a nanosecond or one-trillionth of a second.

Volatile memories like SRAM and DRAM, which lose data on power loss, are ill-suited for low-power systems, while non-volatile memories like flash, though energy-efficient, fail to meet the high-speed data access demands of AI.

The Fudan University researchers developed a two-dimensional Dirac graphene-channel flash memory using an innovative mechanism, shattering the speed limits of non-volatile information storage and access.

"The increase in speed is a major breakthrough, completely overcoming a theoretical bottleneck in existing storage technology frameworks," said Liu Chunsen, a researcher at the State Key Laboratory of Integrated Chips and Systems at Fudan University.

Liu explained that the computation of large AI models mainly relies on GPU chips, and current commercial GPU chips can achieve 33.5 trillion floating-point operations per second while the speed of writing or erasing memory associated with them still lingers at the microsecond (one millionth of a second) level.

"PoX" is precisely tailored to meet the demands of high-speed computation by GPU chips, said Liu.

To expedite the practical application of this groundbreaking technology, the research team has deeply collaborated with manufacturing enterprises during the research and development process. A tape-out verification has been carried out, achieving initial results.

"We have now been able to make a small-scale, fully functional chip. The next step involves integrating it into existing smartphones and computers. This way, when deploying local models on our phones and computers, we will no longer encounter the bottleneck issues such as lagging and heating caused by existing storage technology," said Liu.

Chinese researchers achieve making world's fastest flash memory device: Nature

Chinese teams at the 2026 Esports World Cup (EWC) in Paris are showcasing Honor of Kings, a homegrown title rooted in Chinese history that is now reaching global audiences.

The six week competition opened July 6, drawing global teams and fans to one of the world’s largest esports stages. Honor of Kings, one of China’s biggest esports titles, commands a massive following at home and a growing audience overseas.

"The atmosphere of this international competition is perhaps a bit more intense, and the mindset going into the match is different too, because we're representing China in an overseas tournament, so I'm really happy. And it's also very powerful," said Liu Yunyu, a Chinese player.

The game’s popularity is reflected in surging ticket demand, with past finals selling out in seconds.

"We can see from the ticket sales. Actually, right now all the tickets are going so fast. Like for last year, we had one Honor of Kings final in the Bird's Nest, [which] we call the National Stadium in Beijing, and it can hold 62,000 of people, but the tickets are gone in 12 seconds. So it's so fast," said Eddy Chen, Chief Operating Officer of AG Esports' overseas headquarters and President of the Esports Association of Hong Kong, China.

A big part of its appeal is its Chinese identity, with many of the heroes inspired by figures from the country's history.

"Honor of Kings is a game that with a lot of Chinese historical idols, with heroes inside. So it is very closely related to the Chinese history, and also because this is a mobile game. So right now the China mobile is developing very fast. So everyone have the mobile phone to play, and as well as I think because this is a mind game," Chen said.

China now has more than 495 million esports users, and the industry generated more than four billion U.S. dollars last year. The ambition now is to turn that enormous domestic audience into a truly global market.

"We believe that this kind of global tournament can definitely help a lot of Chinese gaming companies to do cultural exports. Just like, for example, the Honor of Kings game. They are developed with a lot of Chinese history. And when the global players play this game, actually they can learn the Chinese history as well," Chen said.

Chinese teams showcase "Honor of Kings" at Paris Esports World Cup