TEKNIK ELEKTRONIKA

racetrack memory’ technology for data storage devices. According to the researchers, this technology could yield devices with data access 100,000 faster than conventional hard disk drives, along with lower power consumption.

 

A racetrack memory stores data on a magnetic medium, similar to data storage on magnetic tape, but using nickel-iron nanowires instead of tape. Millions or even billions of nanowires could be embedded in a chip, providing enormous storage capacity in a shock-resistant platform. A commercial device could be available in 5 to 7 years.

 

Racetrack memory could represent a breakthrough in data storage and retrieval. Computers with racetrack memory would boot up almost instantly, and their data could be accessed much faster than with conventional hard disk drives. Racetrack memory would also consume significantly less power than conventional hard disk drives or RAM with equivalent storage capacity. Additionally, racetrack memory does not have any moving parts. The stored data bits are transported through the wire in the form of a spin-polarised current at a rate of several hundred metres per second, allowing all of the data to be read in less than a second.

 

For this concept to be feasible, the data bits must be clearly differentiated so they can be read reliably. This is achieved by using domain walls with magnetic vortices to demarcate two adjacent bits. To estimate the maximum velocity at which the bits can be moved, the researchers carried out measurements on the vortices and found that the physical mechanism could enable higher access speeds than previously expected.

 

The results of the recent research have been published online in the journal Physical Review Letters. Scientists at IBM’s Zurich Research Centre (which is also developing a racetrack memory) have confirmed the significance of the results in a Viewpoint article.

 

Image: EPFL

More info

Laboratory of Nanomagnetism and Spin Dynamics website



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