[rsaavedra]

Search the forums and found absolutely no match for "memristor". So I'm creating this thread to gather any thoughts, in particular from the electronics Gurus here in Head-fi.

Memristors are this "missing link" of electronics, a fourth fundamental unit of electronic circuits after the resistors, capacitors, and inductors. The existence of the memristor was proposed in 1971, but was only proved last year at HP Labs. A recent article in New Scientist brought memristors back to attention.

Here's the Wikipedia entry which has plenty of links to related articles and pages about the Memristor, for anyone who might be interested:
Memristor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Any thoughts, comments? Assuming it becomes massively available, any likelyhood of future modifications in headphone amplifier designs given this new fundamental electronics component?

 

[sugrhigh]

What exactly would this change?
I get the idea and the principle, but what modifications would this lead to exactly?

 

[rsaavedra]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sugrhigh /img/forum/go_quote.gif What exactly would this change? I get the idea and the principle, but what modifications would this lead to exactly?

Well I wonder the same thing, whether some optimization, or some whole new amplifier or power supply designs? I really don't know.

 

[sugrhigh]

I mean it has potential to change some things but I don't think it will be radical changes or much that could not be achieved now, just a different means to the same end ya know?

 

[rds]

I think at this point if anyone has a solid application idea that hasn't already been proposed they will not be introducing it here (ie they will probably introduce it in the form of a patent).

 

[sanderx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rds /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think at this point if anyone has a solid application idea that hasn't already been proposed they will not be introducing it here (ie they will probably introduce it in the form of a patent).

Memristors will probably only appear in deep nanoscale digital integrate circuits. Also, while memristors have actually been produced, memristors that would actually have a practical application anywhere have not and it will probably be a long way.

 

[MoodySteve]

I believe sanderx is correct; the only fabricated memristors (to my knowledge) are the same size scale as the transistors in things like CPUs. They don't seem to be headed for audio implementation anytime soon.

 

[diditmyself]

There was a short lived thread at Diyaudio.com about a year ago
diyAudio Forums - This is a BIG deal: memristor - Page 1

 

[rds]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sanderx /img/forum/go_quote.gif Memristors will probably only appear in deep nanoscale digital integrate circuits. Also, while memristors have actually been produced, memristors that would actually have a practical application anywhere have not and it will probably be a long way.

I'm not sure how what you're saying relates to my post, but your suggestion that memristors will only be in "deep nanoscale" ICs is baseless speculation.
Just because you can't think of other applications doesn't mean other people haven't or won't.

 

[Omega]

Well, the primary (speculative) application of memristor tech is fast non-volatile memory. As in, memory that doesn't decay back to ground state when the electricity is interrupted. Instant-on computers, cell phones, medical devices, wireless sensors, etc.

As for high-current audiophile devices? I at least have a hard time seeing how they could improve upon a good linear device for amplification, etc.

 

[sanderx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rds /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm not sure how what you're saying relates to my post, but your suggestion that memristors will only be in "deep nanoscale" ICs is baseless speculation. Just because you can't think of other applications doesn't mean other people haven't or won't.

Have you read the HP FAQ on Memresistance? Memresistance of semiconductor devices increases as the feature size decreases. At deep nanoscale, everything will have a memresistance component designers will have to deal with to create "conventional" devices. Conversly, it will be harder to make large (as opposed to small) memresistors and presently there is no reason to think that you would even then get away without using deep nanoscale materials, even you then combined many small devices to make a larger one.

And we may all think of no matter how many applications, as long as we lack the millions to tens of millions of budget to do something about it, things won't happen. Just look at how long MRAM has taken to get to market and how much has been spent.

 

[Juaquin]

They're interesting, to be sure, but I doubt you'll see them in audio for at least a decade. Like others have said, right now they only exist on nanometer scales and are really only practical at that level right now. Someday they might be made larger, and at some point someone will surely think of a DIY application for them, but it won't be happening anytime soon.