Electronics researchers to develop Iridium alternative

According to York University, all spin electronic devices use an Iridium alloy, including hard disk drives and next-generation magnetic memories. The price of Iridium has risen, however, due to the scarcity of the metal and the increasing take up of these new technologies, the price of Iridium has risen.

Under the EU-backed project, the research team - which includes Bielefeld and Konstanz Universities, Germany, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Hungary, and UK-based Mackintosh Consultants, as well as the York University’s Departments of Electronics and Physics - intends to develop Heusler alloy films to provide a cost-effective alternative to Iridium.

The European scientists will be working closely with a Japanese research team led by Prof Koki Takanashi from Tohoku University and, overall, the initiative is expected to lead to more European-Japanese co-operation in this area of materials research.

Project Scientific Co-ordinator Dr Atsufumi Hirohata, from York University’s  Department of Electronics, said: ‘It is widely recognised that spin electronic technologies will displace volatile semiconductor memory technology within the next decade. Therefore the lack of availability of one crucial element from within the periodic table is a critical issue to be solved urgently.