Exploring the physics of 3D magnetic nanowires and 3D artificial spin-ice lattices

磁性跑道存储器是一种开创性的3D存储技术，由IBM于2008年发明。内存有可能比硬盘驱动器更快，同时还提供更高数量级的存储密度。今天，在原型磁性赛道存储器中使用平面纳米线由于写入数据时的功耗而限制了其性能。最近的理论工作表明，使用圆柱形纳米线将允许低得多的功耗。这种线是很难制造使用传统的光刻，但可以实现使用3D加工techniques.Dr山姆Ladak最近开创了一种新的制造方法，实现三维磁性纳米线和直接与IBM公司，苏黎世，我们已经证明，这些纳米线可以使用标准的磁性技术进行测量。这个项目将利用一个新的3D光刻系统和我们最近开发的技术来制造赛道几何形状的磁性纳米线。我们的目标是制造和组装圆柱形磁性纳米线系统，这些系统有可能在原型存储器技术中产生重大变化。

Magnetic racetrack memory is a pioneering 3D storage technology that was invented by IBM in 2008. The memory has the potential to be faster than the hard disk drive, whilst also offering orders of magnitude higher storage density. Today, the use of planar nanowires in prototype magnetic racetrack memory is limiting its performance due to power consumption whilst writing data. Recent theoretical work has indicated that the use of cylindrical nanowires will allow much lower power consumption. Such wires are difficult to fabricate using conventional lithography but can be achieved using 3D processing techniques.Dr Sam Ladak has recently pioneered a novel fabrication method to realise 3D magnetic nanowires and by working directly with IBM, Zurich we have demonstrated that these nanowires can be measured using standard magnetic techniques. This project will utilise a new 3D lithography system and our recently developed technique to manufacture magnetic nanowires in the racetrack geometry. We will aim to manufacture and characterise cylindrical magnetic nanowires systems that have the potential to produce a step-change in prototype memory technologies.