Researchers have innovated a method to manipulate tiny magnetic states in 2D van der Waals magnets, potentially enabling the creation of advanced memory devices and new computer types. Their breakthrough allows for the control of magnetic domains using minimal energy, opening doors to faster, more efficient computing technologies, including the development of probabilistic computers that mimic neural connections in the brain. Credit: SciTechDaily.com

University of Wyoming researchers have developed a new method to control magnetic states in 2D materials, promising revolutionary advancements in computing technology and energy efficiency.

Imagine a future where computers can learn and make decisions in ways that mimic human thinking, but at a speed and efficiency that are orders of magnitude greater than the current capability of computers.

Breakthrough in Magnetic Control

A research team at the University of Wyoming created an innovative method to control tiny magnetic states within ultrathin, two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals magnets — a process akin to how flipping a light switch controls a bulb.

“Our discovery could lead to advanced memory devices that store more data and consume less power or enable the development of entirely new types of computers that can quickly solve problems that are currently intractable,” says Jifa Tian, an assistant professor in the UW Department of Physics and Astronomy and interim director of UW’s Center for Quantum Information Science and Engineering.

Jifa Tian, an assistant professor in the University of Wyoming Department of Physics and Astronomy and interim director of UW’s Center for Quantum Information Science and Engineering. Credit: University of Wyoming

Tian was corresponding author of a paper, titled “Tunneling current-controlled spin states in few-layer van der Waals magnets,” which was published on May 1 in SciTechDaily