Magnetic Quantum Material Breakthrough
A new quantum material with magnetic properties may pave the way for ultra-fast and considerably more energy-efficient computers and mobile devices. While these materials tend to work only in cold temperatures, a research team at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden says they are the first to create a two-dimensional magnetic quantum material at room temperature.
The research and development of two-dimensional quantum materials that are only a few atoms thick is opening doors for sustainable, faster, and more energy-efficient data storage and processing in computers and mobiles.
2-D magnetic materials have greater sustainability and are ideal for energy-efficient and ultra-fast applications for sensors and advanced magnetic memory and computing. Researchers, however, have only demonstrated 2-D magnets in extremely low temperatures in laboratory environments, so-called cryogenic temperatures, inhibiting their broader use. Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology demonstrated, for the first time, a new 2-D magnetic material-based device at room temperature. They used an iron-based alloy with graphene to enable a range of technical applications in several industries as well as in our everyday lives.
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These Spintronic devices exploit the spin of electrons to generate and control charge currents and to interconvert electrical and magnetic signals. By combining processing, storage, sensing, and logic within a single integrated platform, spintronics could potentially outperform semiconductor-based electronics with advantages in scaling, power consumption, and data processing speed.