Vortion: New magnetic state can mimic biological synapses, improve data storage
Researchers develop voltage-controlled ‘vortion’ for energy-efficient data storage, mimicking biological synapses for neuromorphic computing.
A ccording to estimates, 2.5 quintillion bytes of data is generated every day, indicating the need for highly efficient data storage solutions.
Researchers have now developed a voltage-controlled magnetic memory as an energy-efficient alternative. The research led by scientists from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) introduces a new magnetic state called a magneto-ionic vortex, or “vortion.”
Modern data storage relies on magnetic materials to store data, with information encoded on the magnetic moments of the atoms in the material. Magnetic moments are like compass needles and can point in two directions, representing bits (0 or 1).
The magnetic moment direction is manipulated and read to store and retrieve data using electric currents. This generates a lot of heat, resulting in significant power loss.
The vortion addresses this problem by using voltage instead of current to control the magnetic moments.