Flash memory operates through the quantum phenomenon of electron tunneling, where electrons penetrate an oxide layer. The de Broglie wavelength of an electron is critical in this process; at a typical operational voltage of 5V, the wavelength is approximately 550 pm, sufficient for tunneling through oxide layers that can be several atomic layers thick. The discussion clarifies that while an atom is about 0.1 nm wide, oxide layers in flash memory can vary from a few nanometers to several atomic layers, enabling effective tunneling.
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The de Broglie wavelength ##\lambda_B## of an electron can be arbitrarily large for a slow-enough speed. According to this calculator, ##\lambda_B=24\text{ pm}## corresponds to a voltage difference of over ##2500\text{ V}##! For flash memory, a more realistic working potential is ##5\text{ V}##, which gives ##\lambda_B=550\text{ pm}##, i.e., big enough to tunnel through layers several atoms thick.Brzohn said:Flash memory depends on tunneling in order to work—electrons have to tunnel through an oxide layer. Now, the wavelength of an electron is at most 24 pm. An atom is on the order of 100 nm wide, and the oxide layer must be at least several atoms thick. How can there be any significant tunneling?
No, that is not correct. An atom is of the order of 0.1nm (=1 Angstrom) "wide".Brzohn said:Flash memory depends on tunneling in order to work—electrons have to tunnel through an oxide layer. Now, the wavelength of an electron is at most 24 pm. An atom is on the order of 100 nm wide, and the oxide layer must be at least several atoms thick. How can there be any significant tunneling?