Relativity shakes a magnet: New principle for magnetic recording

March 04, 2014

Scientists have predicted and discovered a new physical phenomenon that allows to manipulate the state of a magnet by electric signals. Current technologies for writing, storing, and reading information are either charge-based or spin-based. Semiconductor flash or random access memories are prime examples among the large variety of charge-based devices. They utilize the possibility offered by semiconductors to easily electrically manipulate and detect their electronic charge states representing the "zeros" and "ones". The downside is that weak perturbations such as impurities, temperature change, or radiation can lead to uncontrolled charge redistributions and, as a consequence, to data loss. Spin-based devices operate on an entirely distinct principle.

Link: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/computers_math/computer_science/~3/pa5sGNMNjJA/140303083557.htm