June 27, 2002 — Rolltronics Corp. said it’s developing a nanoscale thin-film memory that stores data in molecule-size cylinders that retain data even when power is removed.

Devices based on Rolltronics’ NanoMem technology will use a production process called “roll-to-roll manufacturing.” Devices are printed on a long roll of flexible plastic or metal foil that passes through chambers, using rollers to define its path, according to a company news release.

Data is stored in molecules that self-assemble into cylindrical stacks in a 1-micron thick sheet of plastic. Data is written in a process that traps an electrical charge in the plastic’s molecules.

The devices, which are expected to be commercially available by 2004, could store 10 to 100 times more data in the same space as current flash memory at a much lower cost, the company said.