Scientists at the University of Manchester and The Australian National University have created a new molecule that may soon enable ultra-compact hard drives (the size of a postage stamp) by allowing data to be stored at 100 times the density of current technologies.
Image Credit: Dan74 via Shutterstock / HDR tune by Universal-Sci
Could Your Data Storage Soon Fit on a Postage Stamp?
The newly developed molecule is known as a single-molecule magnet and can retain magnetic memory at temperatures up to 100 Kelvin (approximately minus 173 degrees Celsius). To put this into perspective, it's as cold as a lunar night. This breakthrough surpasses the previous record of 80 Kelvin (minus 193 degrees Celsius).
According to Professor Nicholas Chilton of ANU, this molecule could revolutionize digital storage by allowing massive amounts of data to be stored in incredibly small spaces. Imagine fitting about three terabytes of data—equivalent to 40,000 CD copies of Pink Floyd’s iconic album, The Dark Side of the Moon—into a storage device no larger than a postage stamp.
Interesting article on data storage: With molecular data storage, cat videos could outlast us all - (Universal-Sci)
Breaking the Cold Barrier: Storing Data at Lunar Temperatures
Conventionally, hard drives store data by magnetising small regions containing numerous atoms working together. Single-molecule magnets, however, store data individually without needing neighbouring atoms. This dramatically boosts data storage density, making future storage technology ultra-compact.
However, until now, the practical use of these molecules has been limited by the extremely low temperatures required to maintain their memory. While the new molecule still needs very cold temperatures, its memory-retaining capabilities at 100 Kelvin now make it feasible for use in large data centres, such as those operated by companies like Google.
Data storage on molecules - Image Credit: Jamie Kidston/ANU via Eurekalert
The Molecule That Could Change Data Storage Forever
What makes this molecule particularly effective is its unique atomic structure. At its heart is the rare-earth element dysprosium, bonded neatly between two nitrogen atoms in an almost straight line—a structure previously theorized to enhance magnetic performance but never successfully achieved until now.
To stabilize this structure, the researchers introduced a molecular "pin," known as an alkene, to hold dysprosium securely in place. Using powerful computational tools and quantum mechanics simulations, scientists were able to explain precisely why this structure retains memory so effectively at higher temperatures.
While these innovations aren't ready for your smartphone yet, this discovery lays critical groundwork for future advances. The next steps involve refining the molecular design to work at even warmer temperatures, inching closer to everyday practical applications.
As Professor David Mills from The University of Manchester put it: “In the more than 50 years since the release of The Dark Side of the Moon, technology has progressed leaps and bounds. It’s exciting to think how technologies will continue to evolve in the next half a century.”
If you are interested in more details about the underlying research consider checking out the article published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature, listed below:
Sources and further reading:
The libraries of the future will be made of DNA - (Universal-Sci)
With molecular data storage, cat videos could outlast us all - (Universal-Sci)
Soft magnetic hysteresis in a dysprosium amide–alkene complex up to 100 kelvin - (Nature)
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