Cold Opto-Magnetism for Random Access Devices

Fast and energy-efficient magnetic data storage using light pulses

Ultra-short light pulses allow data to be written in a magnetic memory in a fast and highly energy-efficient way. The overall objective of the EU-funded COMRAD project is to create an initial training network for early-stage researchers to gain a broad understanding of the challenges of opto-magnetic data storage development, from fundamental research to device failure analysis. Researchers will explore novel routes for the fastest possible and least dissipative magnetic switching in random access devices by merging ultrafast magnetism and spin-orbitronics. Magnetisation switching using light could be in the order of picoseconds, which is hundreds of times faster than what is possible with current information storage technology.


Objective
The ability to switch magnets between two stable bit states with the help of a magnetic field is the main principle of modern data storage technology. Due to many new ideas, originating from fundamental research during the last 50 years, this technology has been developing in a breath-taking fashion. However, the heat produced by modern data centers is already a serious limitation to further increase their performance. It is not clear how to improve this situation which in future might contribute greatly to the global warming and energy crisis.

Our proposal is inspired by several recent breakthroughs allowing ultrafast and energy efficient magnetic recording with the help of light. COMRAD will explore novel routes for the fastest possible and least dissipative magnetic switching in random access devices by bringing together the two disciplines of ultrafast magnetism and spin-orbitronics, creating sub-100 ps stimuli in spin-orbitronics and pushing the latter into a regime beyond the limitations of equilibrium thermodynamics.

The ambition of COMRAD is to train ESRs in such a way that they gain a broad understanding of the challenges in the entire process of emergence and development of opto-magnetic data storage, from fundamental research to device and failure analysis. This is a new and disruptive technology with the potential to revolutionize information storage and manipulation. Working on the ambitious goals in the Consortium of academic and multiscale industrial partners, the trained ESRs will develop unique cross-disciplinary skills in applying advanced experimental and computational techniques, state-of-the-art device engineering and analysis. Being a new generation of scientists with an affinity to commercial enterprises and ambassadors of science in commerce, COMRAD-ESRs will be able to strengthen European innovation capacity feeling the frighteningly increasing gap between fundamental science and commercial applications.