Single atom memory: The world's smallest storage medium


Institute for Basic Science


One bit of digital information can now be successfully stored in an individual atom, according to a study just published in Nature. A certain direction of magnetization corresponds to the 0 bit, the other direction to the 1 bit. Then, when Heinrich’s team of researchers tried to use two holmium atoms instead of one, they made another surprising discovery. In this way, the scientists could build a two bit device with four possible types of memory: 1-1, 0-0, 1-0 and 0-1 clearly distinguished by the iron sensor. This research may spur innovation in commercial storage media that will expand the possibilities of miniaturizing data storage.


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