Imprinting Memory in Nanomagnets by Field Cooling

2021-07-14T10:32:43-06:00
11/05
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Nanomagnetism

You may know that the media used in magnetic recording technologies, such as computer hard drives, are made of millions of tiny nanomagnets. Each nanomagnet can be switched up or down to record bits of information as ones and zeros. These media are constantly subjected to magnetic fields in order to write, read, and erase information. If you have ever placed a magnet too close to your laptop or cell phone, you know that exposure to an external magnetic field can disrupt information stored this way. Did you know that it is possible for the nanomagnets to "remember" their previous state, if carefully manipulated under specific magnetic field and temperature conditions? Using a kind of memory called topological magnetic memory, scientists have found out how to imprint memory into magnetic thin films by cooling the material under the right conditions.

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Imprinting Memory in Nanomagnets by Field Cooling2021-07-14T10:32:43-06:00

Hunting Quantum Tornadoes with X-rays

2021-07-14T10:34:47-06:00
11/05
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Superfluid helium droplets

In a unique state of matter called a superfluid, tiny "tornadoes" form that may play an important role in nanotechnology, superconductivity, and other applications. Just as tornadoes are invisible air currents that become visible when they suck debris into their cores, the quantum vortices in superfluids attract atoms that make the vortices visible. Quantum vortices are so small they can only be imaged using very short-wavelength x-rays, however.

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Hunting Quantum Tornadoes with X-rays2021-07-14T10:34:47-06:00

Use a laser pointer to measure the thickness of your hair!

2021-07-14T11:14:27-06:00
11/05
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Light scattering and diffraction

Have you ever wondered how scientists can accurately measure the size of very small objects like molecules, nanoparticles, and parts of cells? Scientists are continually finding new ways to do this, and one powerful tool they use is light scattering. When an incoming beam of light hits an object, the light "scatters," or breaks into separate streams that form different patterns depending on the size of the object. This incoming light might be visible light, like the light we see from the sun, or it might be higher-energy light like X-rays. The light from commercial laser pointers, it turns out, is perfectly suited to measure the size of a human hair!

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Use a laser pointer to measure the thickness of your hair!2021-07-14T11:14:27-06:00

A Molecular Switch

2021-07-14T10:41:34-06:00
08/10
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Tiny magnets do big work
by Guanhua (Tibbers) Hao, Peter Dowben

Think of the hard disk in your computer. Information is stored there in the form of magnetic "bits." But do you know how small a magnet can be? Some molecules make magnetic magic, and these special molecules may give rise to the ultrafast, high precision, low power devices of the future.

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A Molecular Switch2021-07-14T10:41:34-06:00
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