Communications of the ACM
CLA Researchers Create Nanoscale Structure For Computer Chips That Could Yield Higher-Performance Memory
A new nanoscale magnetic component for memory chips could drastically improve both their energy efficiency and their scalability.
Credit: UCLA Engineering
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) researchers say they have developed a nanoscale magnetic component for memory chips that could drastically improve their energy efficiency and scalability. They say their research brings a new type of magnetic memory one step closer to being used in electronic devices.
The new asymmetric structure enables the system to better exploit electrons' spin and orbital properties, making it much more power-efficient than conventional computer memory.
"In conjunction with related types of magnetic devices being studied by our team, it represents a tremendous opportunity to realize higher performance memory and logic for future instant-on and energy-efficient, green electronic systems," says UCLA professor Kang Wang.
The researchers created an effective magnetic field by varying the angle of the structure by just a few atoms, which over the length of each device generates significant additional spin-orbit torque and could potentially use 1/100th the amount of energy currently consumed by chips in existing consumer electronics.
"Further work is needed to develop a more detailed microscopic understanding of the new observations and further evaluate their application and scaling potential," says UCLA professor Pedram Khalili.
From UCLA Newsroom (CA)
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