For over seven years IBM has been researching Racetrack memory with the aim of developing the technology to make faster, smaller and more efficient chips to store data. Today, the company has announced a major breakthrough.

At the IEEE International Electron Devices meeting this week, IBM revealed a prototype Racetrack chip that it developed using the standard chipmaking process. Integrated with CMOS on 200mm diameter wafers, IBM’s chip was demonstrated to read, write and store data on an array of 256 in-plane, magnetised horizontal racetracks.

IBM explains Racetrack technology in 2008 video
“This development lays the foundation for further improving Racetrack memory’s density and reliability using perpendicular magnetized racetracks and three-dimensional architectures,” said Bernie Meyerson, a senior figure in IBM’s research operations.

The new technology means that high capacity chips with the speed and durability of flash memory could offer a revolutionary way to store data and replace traditional flash memory, which is currently used in everything SD cards to iPhones.

For more information, check out the notes from the Memory Technology session.