Communications of the ACM
A Single-Atom Magnet Breaks New Ground For Future Data Storage
Researchers say their development of the world's most stable single-atom magnet could lead to the scalable production of miniature magnetic storage devices.
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Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) and ETH Zurich say they have built the world's most stable single-atom magnet, a breakthrough that could lead to the scalable production of miniature magnetic storage devices.
The prototype single-atom magnet is based on atoms of the rare-earth element holmium. The researchers, led by EPFL's Harald Brune and ETH Zurich's Pietro Gambardella, placed single holmium atoms on ultra-thin films of magnesium oxide, which were previously grown on a silver surface. This method enables the formation of single-atom magnets with robust remanence because the electron structure of holmium atoms protects the magnetic field from being flipped.
The magnetic remanence of the holmium atoms is stable at temperatures around 40 degrees Kelvin which, although well below room temperature, are the highest ever achieved. The researchers demonstrated the remanence of single holmium atoms at these temperatures is much higher than the remanence recorded in previous magnets, which were composed of between three and 12 atoms.
The researchers note the development of the new single-atom magnet sets a world record in terms of both size and stability.
From Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne
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