The technology utilises a new semiconductor alloy - a combination of germanium, antimony and tellurium - that can be scaled smaller than Flash technology. The device's cross-section is a mere three by 20 nanometres, far smaller than Flash can be built today and equivalent to the industry's chip-making capabilities targeted for 2015.

As Flash technology approaches its limits, the demand for greater storage space on cell phones and portable media players is driving the search for a its successor. IBM's new technology also has the potential to form the basis of solid state storage drives, offering lower power consumption and weight than traditional hard disk drives whilst being shock resistant.

Like Flash, IBM's prototype phase-change memory technology is non-volatile - meaning it doesn't require power in order to retain information. It relies on the fact that heat can easily switch the alloy between two stable states - one amorphous with a high electrical resistance, the other crystalline with a low resistance.

The technical details of the research will be presented this week at the Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineer's 2006 International Electron Devices Meeting in San Francisco.{moscomment}