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1h ago

2D Magnetic Alloy Enables Field-Free Memory Switching With Tenfold Lower Power

An atomically thin Co–Fe–Ge–Te crystal unites opposing magnetic orders to create a built-in tilt that removes external fields.

The researchers used a novel material in tiny memory devices, here seen as clusters of golden dots on the top of the chip.

Overview

  • Chalmers researchers report a van der Waals magnetic alloy that combines ferromagnetic with antiferromagnetic order in a single atomically thin crystal.
  • The coexisting orders generate an internal exchange and tilted magnetization that enable spin‑orbit torque switching without external magnetic fields.
  • Prototype devices based on the material indicate power use could drop by a factor of ten compared with conventional field‑assisted memory switching.
  • The single‑crystal approach could streamline manufacturing by avoiding interface defects that arise in stacked multilayer magnetic systems.
  • The peer‑reviewed study appears in Advanced Materials, with materials grown by HqGraphene and fabrication and characterization carried out at Chalmers and Uppsala.