A typical computer requires large amounts of electricity to perform its tasks, while also releasing a lot of heat. The carbon footprint of these devices poses a threat to the environment, especially considering the huge number of computers in existence today. For this reason, scientists are constantly looking for new, more environmentally friendly alternatives.
And now MIT researchershave devised a new circuit architecture design that relies on magnetic waves and doesn't require electricity to perform computational tasks. The new design represents a major advance in the way circuits for such devices.
Typically, these devices exploit a quantum property of electrons called “Spin waves” in magnetic materials with a lattice structure. In this approach, the properties of the Spin Wave are modulated to produce a measurable output that is used for computational data. However, tuning these properties requires electricity, through devices that can introduce signal noise, thus hindering the increase in efficiency.
However, the new circuit design created by MITinvolves using a nanometer-sized domain wall in laminated nanofilms of magnetic material to tune the spin wave properties, eliminating the need for electricity.
According to Luqiao Liu, principal investigator of the Spintronic Material and Device Group at the Research Laboratory of Electronics, using waves to operate computers can be a very good alternative to silicon computers.
Describing the circuit, Liu says it works like a water pipe. The domain wall is a valve that controls how water (spin wave) flows through the pipe (hardware). When a strong spin wave is applied, the position of the domain wall can be changed.
The researchers are trying to create a functional wave circuit to perform basic calculations. The next step is to optimize the hardware, reduce potential signal noise, and find a method for quickly switching states by moving the domain wall.
This is a particularly useful idea, which if it eventually works on a larger scale will be able to reduce the need for electricity and the heat emitted.
