2008-05-25

HP realizes the Memristor -- The missing fourth fundamental circuit element

Scientists of Hewlett-Packard demonstrated recently realizations of a new fundamental circuit element, the so called memristor, or memory resistor, If commercialized, it could lead to very dense, energy-efficient memory chips.

clipped from www.spectrum.ieee.org

The Mysterious Memristor

Researchers at HP have solved the 37-year mystery of the memory resistor, the missing 4th circuit element.

Chua deduced the existence of memristors from the
mathematical relationships between the circuit elements.

Chua proposed the memristor purely for the mathematical
aesthetics of it, as a class of circuit element based on
a relationship between charge and flux.

clipped from www.electronicsweekly.com

HP nano device implements memristor

HP Labs has made a nano-scale device which stores data, explains previous anomalies in nano-device characteristics, and may be able to act as a synapse in analogue neural networks. It is also the first physical implementation of the memristor, claims HP, a theoretical partner to resistors, capacitors and inductors invented in 1971.

HP also sees the junction as possible component of artificial brains. "It is very similar to a brain synapse," said spokesman Harrah. "You could simulate a brain with transistors as neurons and a bunch of these as synapses."