Communications of the ACM
Speeding Up Data Storage By a Thousand Times With 'spin Current'
Researchers have developed technology that uses the spin of electrons to boost the speed of data storage.
Credit: Eindhoven University of Technology (Netherlands)
The spin of electrons can be used to boost the speed of data storage by using new technology developed by researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) and the FOM Foundation.
Hard drives store bits in the form of tiny magnetic domains by changing the direction of the magnetization of the associated bits, which is currently done using a write head to create a local magnetic field to make a bit change direction. The strength of the local magnetic field determines how fast the switch takes place, but the limit has almost been reached, according to TU/e researcher Sjors Schellekens.
The TU/FOM Foundation researchers have used ultra-fast laser pulses to generate a flow of electrons in a material that all have the same spin. Schellekens says the resulting spin current can change the magnetic properties of the material 1,000 times faster than what is possible with current technology.
The researchers also note the method could be used for future optical chips, because it would enable optical data to be stored in the form of magnetic bits.
From Eindhoven University of Technology (Netherlands)
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Abstracts Copyright © 2014 Information Inc., Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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