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Miniaturization of computer memory

Scientists at Rice University and HP report that they have overcome a fundamental barrier to the rapid miniaturization of computer memory that has been the basis for the consumer electronics revolution. Rice researchers report that they have succeeded in building reliable small digital switches -- an essential part of computer memory -- that could shrink to a significantly smaller scale than is possible using conventional methods.
PrivaTran, a Texas startup, has made experimental chips using the new technology. If the new technology fulfills its promise, single chips that store as much as today’s highest capacity disk drives could be possible in five years. The new method involves filaments as thin as five nanometers in width. The initial discovery was made by Jun Yao, a graduate researcher at Rice, who said he stumbled on the switch by accident.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/31/science/31compute.html?pagewanted=print