Scientists have designed molecules that can store digital information at temperatures like the dark side of moonlight, an important step towards ultra-high density data storage.
Single-molecule magnets retain their magnetic memory to 100 kelvin (negative 173°C), potentially making the stamp size of the storage device fixed by 100 times the data than current technology.
The advance payment published by nature may pack about three data per square centimeter of data, which is equivalent to squeezing about 40,000 copies of CD into a stamp-sized hard drive. Breakthroughs still require extreme cooling, but still move molecular data storage to practical applications in large-scale data centers.
Beyond the previous cold barrier
“This is a major improvement from the previous 80 Kelvin record, with a distance of 193 degrees Celsius and 193 degrees Celsius.” The 20-degree improvement seems small, but it crosses a critical threshold, which makes the technology more feasible for real-life applications.
The key breakthrough lies in the unique structure of the molecule: a rare earth element called dydsprosium, located between two nitrogen atoms, almost completely straight. This linear arrangement is expected to improve magnetic properties, but it will not be achieved until now.
The researchers solved a fundamental challenge by adding a chemical group called olefins, which, like a molecular pin, combines with dysprosium to fix the structure in its optimal configuration.
Magnetic memory at the molecular level
Current hard drives store data by magnetizing small areas, which contain many atoms working together. Single-molecular magnets represent a fundamentally different approach:
- Personal storage: Each molecule can store information independently without neighbor help
- Ultra high density: The potential of storing data on molecular meter
- Energy barriers: The new molecule showed an energy barrier of 1,843 cm 3, higher than previous records
- Operating range: Function of liquid nitrogen temperature (77 kelvin)
These molecules exhibit “soft magnetic hysteresis” up to 100 kelvin, meaning they can retain their magnetic orientation, thus storing information at these extremely cold but achievable temperatures.
From the curiosity of the laboratory to the reality of the data center
“While working in standard freezers or at room temperature is still a long way to go, data storage in huge data centers, such as those used by Google, may be feasible,” said David Mills, co-leader at the University of Manchester.
Breakthrough is especially important because it is above the temperature of liquid nitrogen above the temperature of easy-to-use coolant. Even if consumer devices are away from them for years, this technology may be practical for professional applications.
The researchers used a large number of computing resources, including GPU-accelerated computing nodes, to simulate the magnetic behavior of molecules using quantum mechanical equations. This theoretical approach allows them to explain why linear atoms are arranged at such high temperatures to enable magnetic memory.
Quantum engineering success
The team’s computational modeling reveals why this particular molecular design performs so well. The arrangement of nitrogen, nitrogen and nitrogen produces a strong crystal effect in a stable magnetic state, while the olefin group provides sufficient structural support without interfering with the magnetic properties.
Advanced calculations show that the spin kinetic velocity of molecules is 100 times slower than the optimal single-molecule magnet above 90 Kelvin, a key factor in data retention. The molecular rotation and flip speed are slow, and the information lasts for a long time.
Professor Chilton emphasized the broader implication: “The molecule will now be a blueprint to guide the design of better molecular magnets that can retain their data at higher temperatures.”
The road ahead
While the technology won’t be available in smartphones anytime soon, for applications that already use extreme cooling, it represents an important step towards ultra-intensive storage space. Data centers are increasingly demanding innovative storage solutions to handle exponentially growing information on cloud computing, streaming and artificial intelligence.
The study shows how basic scientific understanding can drive technological innovation. By leveraging quantum mechanics and complex molecular engineering, the team pushed through possible boundaries in information storage.
As Professor Chilton reflects: “In the more than 50 years since the release of the Dabt of the Moon, technology has made progress and boundaries. It’s exciting to think about how technology will continue to evolve over the next half century.”
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