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University of
Glasgow - Nanotechnology paves way for super iPods and more
Other Topics:
Nanotechnology Forum
University of Glasgow
April 16, 2008
A breakthrough by scientists from the University of Glasgow
could see the storage capacity of an iPod increase 150,000
times. Nanotechnology researchers have developed a
molecule-sized switch which means that data storage can be
dramatically increased without the need to increase the size
of devices. |
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Professor Lee Cronin and Dr Malcolm
Kadodwala’s work would see 500,000 gigabytes squeezed onto
one square inch. The current limit for the space is around
3.3 gigabytes, says the team. The researchers believe that
their development could see the number of transistors per
chip rising from today’s limit of 200million to well over
one billion.
Professor Lee Cronin said: “What we have done is find a way
to potentially increase the data storage capabilities in a
radical way. We have been able to assemble a functional
nanocluster that incorporates two electron donating groups,
and position them precisely 0.32nm apart so that they can
form a totally new type of molecular switching device.
“This is unprecedented and provides a route to produce new a
molecule-based switch that can be easily manipulated using
an electric field. By taking these nano-scale clusters, just
a nanometer in size, and placing them onto a gold or carbon,
we can control the switching ability. Not only is this a new
type of switchable molecule, but by grafting the molecule on
to metal (gold) or carbon means that we can potentially
bridge the gap between traditional semiconductor devices and
components for nanoscale plastic electronics.
“The key advantage of the molecule sized switch is
information / transistor density in traditional
semi-conductors. Molecule sized SWITCHES would lead to
increasing data storage to say 4 Petabits per square inch.
“This breakthrough shows conceptually that this is possible
(showing the bulk effect) but we are yet to solve the
fabrication and addressing problems.
“The fact these switches work on carbon means that they
could be embedded in plastic chips so silicon is not needed
and the system becomes much more flexible both physically
and technologically.
“Since these switches are little balls of metal oxide they
are made of similar stuff to normal semi-conductors but are
much easier to manipulate as discrete molecular units." |
