Chinese boffins on 3D XPoint: If it works like phase-change memory, it's probably phase-change memory A team of scientists from China have asserted that 3D XPoint is essentially phase-change memory, which manufacturers Intel and Micron have not publicly admitted. Phase-change memory (PCM) exploits properties of chalcogenide alloy, the internal state of which varies between crystalline and amorphous phases with different levels …
That is the gist of it. All they have going for them is delay and obfuscation until someone is able to duplicate the process at commercial levels. Once that happens they loose their market monopoly and will have to cut margins and executives bonuses as they drop their prices to remain competitive.
To be fair to Intel, m-a-y-b-e they have doped-up an old compound in some new way that enhances the production process or the product itself. You have to admit, they do love playing with material science. Such a change could be such a no-brainer that they fear that even with a patent on it, it could not really be prevented from being copied by competitors once known. Or some other such silly notion. M-a-y-b-e there is an almost legitimate reason for Intel to be saying, "Pay no attention to that duck behind the curtain. The Great Intel has spoken!"
That seems quite plausible to me. If they've found something that makes a big difference but which doesn't show up under electron microscopy or similar methods, then they might reason that saying nothing at all will give them a couple of years of protection whereas publishing will give the competition ideas that might bear fruit in less time than that and which aren't covered by the patent.
we already had this discussion a year ago.
tems show structure
composition shows it is phase change
it was published multiple times.
yes, intel lied about it to hide the technology and prevent lawsuits from OUM investors who lost all their money
Rob Crooke and Brian Krzanich lied repeatedly in public statements... i am shocked! shocked i tell you!
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