Towards Data Storage at the Single Molecule Level

Researchers at Kiel University in Germany have developed a process for storing information on a single spin-crossover molecule. In addition to depositing a new class of spin-crossover molecules onto a surface, the team also leveraged interactions that were previously deemed obstructive to enhance the molecule's capacity.

Kiel's Manuel Gruber says the new molecule is only one square nanometer in size, which could enable a bit to be encoded in an area 100 times smaller than what is currently possible. Not only can the molecule assume two magnetic states, it also can change its linkage to a special surface that lets it be flipped between high and low magnetic states, and turned by 45 degrees (image by arstechnica).

"When transferred onto storage technology, we would be able to depict information on three states--those being 0, 1, and 2" - Torben Jasper-Tonnies.

The researchers think the storage space of conventional hard drives could theoretically be enlarged 100-fold or more. You can read the full article at University's press page.