Engineering memories

Reverse Engineering Flash EEPROM Memories Using Scanning Electron Microscopy

In this article, a methodology to extract Flash EEPROM memory contents is presented. Samples are first backside prepared to expose the tunnel oxide of floating gate transistors. Then, a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) in the so called Passive Voltage Contrast (PVC) mode allows distinguishing ‘0’ and ‘1’ bit values stored in individual memory cell. Using SEM operator-free acquisition and stan...

Nanocrystalline Ge Flash Memories: Electrical Characterization and Trap Engineering

A single transistor memory structure with threshold voltage shift, Vth, exceeding ~1.5 V corresponding to interface charge trapping in nanocrystalline germanium (ncGe), operating at 0.96 MV/cm, is presented. The trapping effect is eliminated when nc-Ge is synthesized in forming gas thus excluding the possibility of quantum confinement and Coulomb blockade effects. Through discharging kinetics, ...

Memories

Memories Improbable: "Recovered Memories" in Perspective

Traumatic memories are not necessarily accurate memories.

Some therapists, as well as other commentators, have suggested that memories of horrific trauma are buried in the subconscious by some special process, such as repression, and are later reliably recovered. We find that the evidence provided to support this claim is flawed. Where, then, might these memory reports come from? We discuss several research paradigms that have shown that various manip...