Wikipedia
Memory cell may refer to:
- Memory cell, a building block of computer data storage
- Memory B cell, an antibody producing cell
- Memory T cell, an infection fighting cell
The memory cell is the fundamental building block of computer memory. The memory cell is an electronic circuit that stores one bit of binary information and it must be set to store a logic 1 (high voltage level) and reset to store a logic 0 (low voltage level). Its value is maintained/stored until it is changed by the set/reset process. The value in the memory cell can be accessed by reading it.
Over the history of computing many different memory cell architectures have been used including core memory and bubble memory, but the most common ones used are flip-flops and capacitors.
The SRAM, static ram memory cell is a type of flip-flop circuit, usually implemented using FETs. These require very low power when not being accessed.
A second type, DRAM is based around a capacitor. Charging and discharging this capacitor can store a '1' or a '0' in the cell. However, this capacitor will slowly leak away, and must be refreshed periodically. Because of this refresh process, DRAM uses more power, but can achieve greater storage densities.