In today's digital age, we upload photos, videos, and all kinds of data to social media and the cloud every day. But you know what? Behind these deceptively simple operations, data centers consume up to 200 terawatt hours of electricity per year, accounting for 1% of global energy consumption. To cope with this huge energy demand, scientists are exploring innovative energy-saving technologies. Recently, scientists at Johannes Gutenberg University (JGU) in Mainz, Germany, and Antaios in France, have made a major breakthrough by developing a new energy-efficient storage technology called Magnetic Random Access Memory (MRAM) based on spin-orbital torque (SOT).
What is SOT-MRAM?
SOT-MRAM is an advanced storage technology that uses an electric current to switch the magnetic state to enable data storage. With its higher energy efficiency, non-volatility, and performance compared to traditional static random access memory (SRAM), SOT-MRAM is considered an ideal replacement for cache memory in future computer architectures.
Applications of the Orbital Hall Effect (OHE).
Traditional SOT-MRAM techniques rely on the spin properties of electrons to convert charge currents into spin currents through the spin Hall effect. This process requires the use of highly spin-orbit-coupled materials, often rare and expensive metals such as platinum and tungsten. Not only are these materials costly, but they are also not friendly to the environment.
Scientists at JGU and Antaios have proposed a completely new approach that uses the orbital Hall effect (OHE) to achieve more efficient current conversion. The orbital Hall effect is a physical phenomenon that allows scientists to switch magnetic states through orbital currents, rather than relying on the spin of electrons. This approach not only improves energy efficiency, but also avoids the use of rare and expensive materials.
Figure: Breakthrough in energy-efficient storage technology
Advantages of new technologies
This OHE-based SOT-MRAM technology brings significant improvements:
Reduced energy consumption: More than 50% less energy consumption compared to existing industrial-grade storage technologies.
Efficiency improvement: Data storage is faster, and the efficiency is increased by 30%.
Reduced input current: A 20% reduction in input current is required for magnetic switching, further reducing energy consumption.
Extended data storage life: Ensure a data storage life of more than 10 years by improving thermal stability.
Future outlook
The development of this technology not only provides more efficient and energy-efficient storage solutions for devices such as smartphones and supercomputers, but also contributes to the achievement of global sustainability goals. By reducing the energy consumption of our data centers, we can better combat climate change and protect the environment.
Professor Mathias Kläui, Project Coordinator at JGU, said: "This collaboration is not only exciting in terms of basic science, but also has the potential to have a profound impact on green information technology (GreenIT) in industry. The research was supported by the European Union's research and innovation programme Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe, the European Research Council, the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the Norwegian Research Council, and was recently published in the journal Nature Communications.
With the further development and application of this technology, we can expect to see a more energy-efficient and efficient digital future.
