{domain:"www.qualitydigest.com",server:"169.47.211.87"} Skip to main content

User account menu
Main navigation
  • Topics
    • Customer Care
    • FDA Compliance
    • Healthcare
    • Innovation
    • Lean
    • Management
    • Metrology
    • Operations
    • Risk Management
    • Six Sigma
    • Standards
    • Statistics
    • Supply Chain
    • Sustainability
    • Training
  • Videos/Webinars
    • All videos
    • Product Demos
    • Webinars
  • Advertise
    • Advertise
    • Submit B2B Press Release
    • Write for us
  • Metrology Hub
  • Training
  • Subscribe
  • Log in
Mobile Menu
  • Home
  • Topics
    • 3D Metrology-CMSC
    • Customer Care
    • FDA Compliance
    • Healthcare
    • Innovation
    • Lean
    • Management
    • Metrology
    • Operations
    • Risk Management
    • Six Sigma
    • Standards
    • Statistics
    • Supply Chain
    • Sustainability
    • Training
  • Login / Subscribe
  • More...
    • All Features
    • All News
    • All Videos
    • Contact
    • Training

Single-Atom Memory Possible, Say Researchers

Quantum nanoscience takes quantum leap by controlling individual atoms

New Electronics
Tue, 03/28/2017 - 12:00
  • Comment
  • RSS

Social Sharing block

  • Print
Body

(New Electronics: Hawley Mill, England) -- One bit of digital information can now be successfully stored in an individual atom, according to a study published by the Center for Quantum Nanoscience, within the Korean Institute of Basic Science and the U.S. IBM Almaden Research Center. This breakthrough could lead to the miniaturization of storage media and could serve as a basis for quantum computing.

ADVERTISEMENT

According to the scientists, current commercially-available magnetic memory devices require 1 million atoms.

“We have opened up new possibilities for quantum nanoscience by controlling individual atoms precisely,” says Andreas Heinrich, director of the Institute of Basic Science. “This research may spur innovation in commercial storage media that will expand the possibilities of miniaturizing data storage.”

In this study, researchers worked with a scanning tunneling microscope, which has a tip that enables the user to view and move individual atoms, as well as to apply a pulse of electrical current.

They used this electric pulse to change the direction of magnetization of individual holmium atoms. By doing that, the team could write a memory of either 1 or zero and swap the two.

 …

Want to continue?
Log in or create a FREE account.
Enter your username or email address
Enter the password that accompanies your username.
By logging in you agree to receive communication from Quality Digest. Privacy Policy.
Create a FREE account
Forgot My Password

Add new comment

Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.
Please login to comment.
      

© 2025 Quality Digest. Copyright on content held by Quality Digest or by individual authors. Contact Quality Digest for reprint information.
“Quality Digest" is a trademark owned by Quality Circle Institute Inc.

footer
  • Home
  • Print QD: 1995-2008
  • Print QD: 2008-2009
  • Videos
  • Privacy Policy
  • Write for us
footer second menu
  • Subscribe to Quality Digest
  • About Us
  • Contact Us