Traditional data storage has always relied on switching between “on” and “off” states, but the physical size of the components that store these binary states limits the amount of information that can be contained in a device.
Recently, researchers from the University of Chicago’s PME team published their findings, showing that they successfully stored several terabytes of data within a crystal just 1 millimeter in size, marking a groundbreaking milestone for future storage solutions.
According to reports, the researchers achieved this goal by using single-atom defects within the crystal to represent binary 1s and 0s for data storage.
The study, published in the journal Nanophotonics, explores how atomic-scale crystal defects can serve as individual storage units and how quantum methods can be integrated with traditional computing principles.
The researchers believe that this breakthrough could redefine the limits of data storage, providing super-light, super-high-capacity storage solutions for traditional computing.
The first author of the study, postdoctoral researcher Leonardo Fran?a, said: “We have found a way to combine solid-state physics applied to radiation dosage measurement with research teams focusing on the quantum field.”
Under the leadership of Assistant Professor Tian Zhong, the research team developed this innovative storage method by introducing rare-earth ions into the crystal, specifically doping praseodymium ions into yttrium oxide crystals. They believe that due to the diverse optical properties of rare-earth elements, this method could be extended to other materials.
The memory system is activated by ultraviolet lasers that can energize the rare-earth ions to release electrons, which are then trapped in natural defects within the crystal.
By controlling the charge states of these defects, the researchers effectively created a binary system, where charged defects represent 1s and uncharged defects represent 0s.
In the past, crystal defects had been explored as potential quantum bits (qubits) in quantum computing research. Now, the University of Chicago’s PME team has further discovered how to apply these defects in traditional storage applications.
Sourcing from Internet
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