Russian and European researchers have created a fundamentally new kind of data carrier—an optical equivalent of a hard drive, which combines extremely high operational speed and minimal power consumption. According to RIA Novosti, initial findings from experiments with the device prototype are published in the journal Nature.
The core of the technology relies on utilizing rare-earth materials, whose characteristics were actively studied back in the 20th century. According to MIPT Professor Anatoly Zvezdin, it was the fundamental research from past decades that permitted today’s breakthrough in the sphere of information storage.
Unlike conventional hard drives, where data writing demands powerful magnetic pulses and substantial energy expenditure, the novel system employs terahertz radiation. So-called T-rays influence electron spins considerably quicker and more effectively than magnetic fields.
Experiments demonstrated that employing gold nanoantennas on the surface of thulium orthoferrite enabled a reduction in energy losses and achieving a record switching speed—just three picoseconds. Moreover, a single photon of terahertz radiation suffices for recording information, rendering the technology extremely energy-efficient.
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