Definition: Ovonics

(OVshinsky electrONICS) The science of glass compounds invented by Stanford Ovshinsky, founder of Energy Conversion Devices (ECD) in 1960. Ovonics deals with thin films of amorphous materials that can change their state when light or electricity is applied. Ovonics brought about nickel metal hydride batteries, rewritable CDs and DVDs, as well as innovative fuel cell and hydrogen technologies. It is also used in phase change memory (PCM). See chalcogenide glass, phase change disc and phase change memory.