Flash memory of nanomagnets: 10 Tbit per square. inch

An international team of physicists led by Thomas Russell from the University of Massachusetts was the first to realize the idea of ​​creating flash memory on a pattern of self-assembling nanomagnets. The idea is to bring the material (sapphire crystal) to such a state that the strict lattice of nanomagnets formed by itself, according to the domino principle, on a relatively large plane.

This was done by heating the sapphire crystal to 1400 ° C, and then putting on it a mask that creates a strict lattice of nickel magnets 3 nm in size. Each of the magnets contains a bit of information in one of two possible orientations. When placed on a crystal, they independently settle down in a strict order, forming a lattice of ideal shape. Such a grid is problematic to create even by photolithography, since we are talking about dimensions comparable to the length of the light wave.

Given the size of nanomagnets, they allow you to record information with a record density of up to 10 Tbit per square meter. inch (that is, 270 DVDs on a coin-sized plate).
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via UC Berkley News