Välkmälukiipides

Välkmälukiipides, often translated as flash memory chips, are a type of non-volatile computer memory that can be electrically erased and reprogrammed. This means that the data stored on a flash memory chip persists even when the power is turned off. Unlike dynamic random-access memory (DRAM), which is volatile and loses its contents without power, flash memory retains information.

Flash memory is widely used in various electronic devices. It is the primary storage technology for solid-state drives (SSDs) found in computers, providing faster read and write speeds compared to traditional hard disk drives. It is also the memory technology behind USB flash drives, memory cards used in cameras and smartphones, and the internal storage of mobile phones and tablets.

The operation of flash memory relies on floating-gate transistors. These transistors trap electrical charges in a layer of insulating material. Applying a voltage to a control gate allows electrons to tunnel through an insulating layer to or from a floating gate, thus storing a bit of data (0 or 1). Erasing and writing data involves a process of applying specific voltages to control the flow of electrons. There are two main types of flash memory: NAND and NOR. NAND flash is more common for mass storage due to its higher density and lower cost, while NOR flash offers faster random access and is often used for boot code.