Quinas, a start-up from Lancaster’s Physics Department, celebrated its first anniversary. The company, founded by Professor Manus Hayne, developed ULTRARAM, a memory technology that uses a quantum-mechanical process called “resonant tunnelling” for fast, energy-efficient, and durable data storage. The technology outperforms conventional methods like Flash and DRAM. Quinas was named “Most Innovative Startup” at the Flash Memory Summit and secured funding through the ICURe Innovate UK program. CEO James Ashforth-Pook said ULTRARAM marked a turning point in computing technology, overcoming the ‘memory wall’ bottleneck and enabling compute-in-memory processors.
Quinas: A Year of Progress and Innovation
Quinas, a spinoff from Lancaster’s Physics Department, has recently celebrated its first anniversary. The company’s journey began with a scientific paper on Memory Cells published in June 2019. This paper laid the foundation for ULTRARAM technologies, the primary commercial product of Quinas. ULTRARAM, a brainchild of Physics Professor Manus Hayne, is a novel memory technology that leverages a quantum-mechanical process known as “resonant tunnelling”. This technology offers a unique blend of speed, energy efficiency, and durability in writing and erasing stored computational memory, a feat not yet achieved by traditional data storage methods like Flash and DRAM.
ULTRARAM: A Breakthrough in Memory Technology
The scientific paper that introduced ULTRARAM gained significant attention, becoming the second most accessed physics paper and the 41st most accessed paper overall in Scientific Reports, with over 26,000 views. ULTRARAM was patented later in 2019, and a subsequent paper discussing the properties of ULTRARAM was selected as the editor’s choice for the best of the year in Advanced Electronic Materials in 2022.
Quinas: Recognition and Achievements
In the year following its formal incorporation, Quinas and its ULTRARAM technology have made significant strides. The company has been recognized as the “Most Innovative Startup” at the Flash Memory Summit in Silicon Valley and was chosen as Elektra’s Reader’s Choice for “University Research Group of the Year”. Additionally, Quinas was a finalist for the PraxisAuril KE ‘Commercialisation Achievement of the Year’ and the TechWorks “TechNES Design Award”. The company has also successfully secured funding through the ICURe Innovate UK programme and obtained a second patent in the US, with additional patents pending in Europe, Japan, China, and South Korea.
Reflections on Quinas’ First Year
Reflecting on the company’s first year, Professor Hayne expressed satisfaction with the progress made on ULTRARAM. He highlighted the company’s collaboration with national and international partners and the support received from UK and European funding. He also noted the ongoing efforts to address the technical challenges associated with scaling the technology and expressed continued amazement at ULTRARAM’s exceptional properties.
ULTRARAM: A Game-Changer in Computing Technology
James Ashforth-Pook, the CEO of Quinas, described ULTRARAM as a turning point in computing technology in the company’s first year. He emphasized that ULTRARAM’s unique combination of speed, durability, and energy efficiency not only addresses the ‘memory wall’ bottleneck but also enables compute-in-memory processors. This significantly reduces compute latency and redefines data storage and processing.
