Display options
Cite
Natterer FD, Yang K, Paul W, et al. Reading and writing single-atom magnets. Nature. 2017;543(7644):226-228doi: 10.1038/nature21371.
Natterer, F. D., Yang, K., Paul, W., Willke, P., Choi, T., Greber, T., Heinrich, A. J., & Lutz, C. P. (2017). Reading and writing single-atom magnets. Nature, 543(7644), 226-228. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature21371
Natterer, Fabian D, et al. "Reading and writing single-atom magnets." Nature vol. 543,7644 (2017): 226-228. doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/nature21371
Natterer FD, Yang K, Paul W, Willke P, Choi T, Greber T, Heinrich AJ, Lutz CP. Reading and writing single-atom magnets. Nature. 2017 Mar 08;543(7644):226-228. doi: 10.1038/nature21371. PMID: 28277519.
Copy Download .nbib Format: NLM
Share it on

Nature. 2017 Mar 08;543(7644):226-228. doi: 10.1038/nature21371.

Reading and writing single-atom magnets.

Nature

Fabian D Natterer, Kai Yang, William Paul, Philip Willke, Taeyoung Choi, Thomas Greber, Andreas J Heinrich, Christopher P Lutz

Affiliations

  1. IBM Almaden Research Center, San Jose, California 95120, USA.
  2. Institute of Physics, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
  3. School of Physical Sciences and Key Laboratory of Vacuum Physics, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
  4. IV. Physical Institute, University of Göttingen, Friedrich-Hund-Platz 1, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany.
  5. Physik-Institut, Universität Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland.
  6. Institute of Basic Science, Center for Quantum Nanoscience, Seoul, South Korea.
  7. Physics Department, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea.

PMID: 28277519 DOI: 10.1038/nature21371

Abstract

The single-atom bit represents the ultimate limit of the classical approach to high-density magnetic storage media. So far, the smallest individually addressable bistable magnetic bits have consisted of 3-12 atoms. Long magnetic relaxation times have been demonstrated for single lanthanide atoms in molecular magnets, for lanthanides diluted in bulk crystals, and recently for ensembles of holmium (Ho) atoms supported on magnesium oxide (MgO). These experiments suggest a path towards data storage at the atomic limit, but the way in which individual magnetic centres are accessed remains unclear. Here we demonstrate the reading and writing of the magnetism of individual Ho atoms on MgO, and show that they independently retain their magnetic information over many hours. We read the Ho states using tunnel magnetoresistance and write the states with current pulses using a scanning tunnelling microscope. The magnetic origin of the long-lived states is confirmed by single-atom electron spin resonance on a nearby iron sensor atom, which also shows that Ho has a large out-of-plane moment of 10.1 ± 0.1 Bohr magnetons on this surface. To demonstrate independent reading and writing, we built an atomic-scale structure with two Ho bits, to which we write the four possible states and which we read out both magnetoresistively and remotely by electron spin resonance. The high magnetic stability combined with electrical reading and writing shows that single-atom magnetic memory is indeed possible.

Publication Types