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Two specific examples of the application to computer memories of order-disorder transitions in amorphous semiconductors are discussed. The particular physical changes utilized and accompanying the order-disorder transition are a resistance change and an optical change. The resistance change is applied to an electrically alterable Read-Mostly memory (RMM) and the optical change to a laser-alterable mass memory. The characteristics and mechanisms involved in each application are discussed briefly. The unique role of each memory in its respective area of applicability is described. For the RMM, the impact of manufacturing cost on array structure is discussed, and a new improved array of amorphous devices integrated with silicon is disclosed. For the amorphous mass memory, the effect of the interaction between high bit density laser addressing and practical engineering on the physical form of the first mass memory are discussed.
Neale et al. (1973) studied this question.