A magnetic charge ice system could have eight possible configurations instead of two, resulting in denser storage capabilities or added functionality unavailable in current technologies.
With potential applications involving data storage, memory and logic devices,
magnetic charge ice could someday lead to smaller and more powerful computers or even play a role in quantum computing, Xiao said.
Magnetic charge ice is two - dimensional, meaning it consists of a very thin layer of atoms, and could be applied to other thin materials, such as graphene.
The scientists used a bi-axis vector magnet to precisely and conveniently tune
the magnetic charge ice to any of eight possible charge configurations.
«Scientists create «rewritable
magnetic charge ice».»
There are hurdles yet to overcome before
magnetic charge ice could be used in technological devices, Xiao added.
A team of scientists working at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory and led by Northern Illinois University physicist and Argonne materials scientist Zhili Xiao has created a new material, called «rewritable
magnetic charge ice,» that permits an unprecedented degree of control over local magnetic fields and could pave the way for new computing technologies.
Other potential applications of
magnetic charge ice might include enhancement of the current - carrying capability of superconductors.
A depiction of the global order of
magnetic charge ice.
«Our realization of tunable artificial
magnetic charge ices is similar to the synthesis of a dreamed material.
Not exact matches
A team of scientists, led by University of Illinois physicist Peter Schiffer, has reported direct visualization of
magnetic charge crystallization in an artificial spin
ice material, a first in the study of a relatively new class of frustrated artificial magnetic materials - by - design known as «Artificial Spin Ice.&raq
ice material, a first in the study of a relatively new class of frustrated artificial
magnetic materials - by - design known as «Artificial Spin
Ice.&raq
Ice.»
«
Magnetic charge crystals imaged in artificial spin
ice.»
OIST's physicist studies
magnetic monopoles in spin
ice crystals and explains why double layers of
magnetic charges can be found
Hydrogen ions in superionic water
ice can carry electrical
charge, making it good at conducting electricity and generating
magnetic fields.
But in addition to uses in traditional computing, Xiao said quantum computing could benefit from
magnetic monopoles in the
charge ice.
«Our work is the first success achieving an artificial
ice of
magnetic charges with controllable energy states,» said Xiao, who holds a joint appointment between Argonne and NIU.
However, in the past, researchers have been frustrated in their attempts to achieve global and local control of spin -
ice magnetic charges.