Memories are made of this

Researchers at Oxford University have developed a simple method for reading data from a type of computer memory that uses a magnetic rather than an electrical charge to store information.

This reader circuitry could lead to the development of a silicon chip that can store data when its power supply is turned off, just like a hard drive.

The chips could lead to smaller, cheaper and lighter laptops, by eventually removing the need for both a memory section and hard drive, reducing power usage to prolong the battery life. They may also be used in mobile phones or digital cameras.

The millions of transistors within modern silicon chips work like switches to control the flow of electrical current. Spin transistors use the spin, or magnetic, properties of electrons to control current flow. This spin can be set and will not change, meaning the transistor remains in the same magnetic state when power is turned off, unlike normal circuits that need a continuous power supply. The resulting device is known as Magnetic RAM or MRAM.