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
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's erroneous remarks on China's Taiwan region have seriously violated the international law and challenged international justice, Sun Lei, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, said during an open debate of the UN Security Council on leadership for peace on Monday.
The Japanese representative made repeated unreasonable arguments and prevaricated in an attempt to evade the issue, Sun said.
It is Takaichi who made the erroneous remarks first. It is only after that China, as a responsible major country of the international community, made clear its position solemnly to set the record straight in international fora and through bilateral channels, said Sun, adding that China's actions are fully justified, said the Chinese envoy.
Sun noted that the four political documents between China and Japan provide clear-cut provisions on the Taiwan issue, which constitute solemn commitment by the Japanese government and carry legal effect under international law, and there is no room for ambiguity or misinterpretation.
Whichever political party or individual is in power in Japan, they must always abide by the commitment of the Japanese government, said Sun.
"Takaichi's erroneous words gravely violate international law and the basic norms governing international relations, openly challenge the post-war international order, run counter to the four political documents between China and Japan, undermine the historical foundations of China-Japan relations, constitute a severe breach of the obligations of a defeated nation, fabricate pretexts for lifting the constraints on Japan's post-war military machinery, severely hurting the feelings of Chinese people while challenging international justice. With all this going on, how can we possibly believe that Japan will honor its professed commitment to a path of peace," said Sun.
Japanese right-wing forces represented by Takaichi have unleashed a torrent of erroneous statements and actions as the world celebrates the 80th anniversary of both the victory of World War II and the founding of the United Nations, said Sun.
Following the victory 80 years later, "we must not allow militarism to be resurrected or permit the specter of fascism to return," Sun said.
China once again urges Japan to reflect profoundly on the crimes it committed in the past, to honor its commitments to China and the international community through concrete actions, and to cease all attempts to gloss over its wrongdoing and get away with it, Sun stressed.
Takaichi's erroneous words violate int'l law, challenge int'l justice: Chinese envoy
