UK Allocates £1.1 Million for UltraRAM Transfer Support

UltraRAM, a groundbreaking memory technology, is revolutionizing the industry with its quantum resonant tunneling of electrons within a layered compound semiconductor structure that can be manufactured on silicon wafers. The brainchild of Professor Manus Hayne from the Physics Department at Lancaster University, this cutting-edge technology has paved the way for a new era in memory storage.

Quinas, a company founded in 2023, has taken the reins to commercialize UltraRAM. The memory boasts an impressive 1,000-year non-volatile retention, surpassing traditional flash memory, and an endurance of 10 million cycles. Despite its remarkable longevity, UltraRAM maintains swift read and write speeds akin to DRAM, earning it the moniker of a universal memory.

The accolades for UltraRAM continue to pour in, with Quinas recently receiving an InnovateUK grant to kickstart the commercialization process. This grant will fuel a one-year research project, primarily conducted at IQE in Cardiff, aimed at scaling up the manufacturing of layered compound semiconductors.

IQE's pivotal role in the project involves developing the capability to grow layers of gallium antimonide and aluminium antimonide, essential components of UltraRAM. The transition from 3-inch to 6-inch diameter wafers marks a significant milestone in the production process, facilitated by metal-organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD) techniques.

Professor Hayne, serving as Quinas' chief scientific officer, expressed optimism about the economic prospects of UltraRAM for the UK. He emphasized the potential for substantial energy savings and carbon emission reduction through the adoption of this innovative technology. Lancaster University's ongoing collaboration with Quinas aims to further enhance UltraRAM scalability, with plans to transition to 200mm-diameter wafers in the near future.