Storing information with spirals. In most computer memories the 0/1 values are associated to the right/left orientation of tiny magnets. In a prospective magnetoelectric memory, the same tiny magnets are arranged forming spiral textures. In this case, the 0/1 values correspond to their sense of rotation (left/right). (Source: Paul Scherrer Institute/Marisa Medarde)
A new material retains its special magnetic properties even at room temperature. A new material could become the basis for future data storage devices, since it may enable significant reductions in energy demands in comparison to present-day hard drives. This is a material from the class of so-called magnetoelectric multiferroics, whose distinguishing characteristic is that their magnetic and electrical properties are coupled to each other. Thanks to this coupling, it should be possible to write magnetic bits by means of more energy-efficient electric fields. It has long been expected that this class of materials could serve as the basis for computer memories in the future. The advantage of the newly developed multiferroic material: It exhibits the necessary magnetic properties even at room temperature, and not only — as with most magnetoelectric multiferroics to date — when cooled to very low temperatures, typically minus 200 degrees Celsius. The PSI researchers report their new results .
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