University of Tokyo has developed a new non-volatile memory technology that has same basic structure as flash memory and is made with organic materials. The new “organic flash memory” uses polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) resin sheet as a substrate and 26 x 26 2T memory cells are arranged on the sheet. The cells are equipped with same floating-gate transistors used in silicon based flash memory.

The one advantage the new organic flash memory has over other similar memory technology is that its erasing and reading voltages are relatively lower at 6V and 1V respectively, compared to about 20V required by other technologies. The new technology can also write and erase data more than 1,000 times.

The organic memory sheet is flexible and it can be bent until its curvature radius reaches 6mm without causing mechanical or electrical degradation. One disadvantage the new memory technology has is memory retention time of only one day. However this can be improved by reducing size of the element and employing an SAM with long molecular length. No word on when the memory technology will come to the market.
[Via Tech-On]