In recent years, electronic data processing has been evolving in one direction only: The industry has downsized its components to the nanometer range. But this process is now reaching its physical limits. Researchers at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) are therefore exploring spin waves or so-called magnons – a promising alternative for transporting information in more…
Random Access Memory on a Low Energy Diet
Memory chips are among the most basic components in computers. The random access memory is where processors temporarily store their data, which is a crucial function. Researchers from Dresden and Basel have now managed to lay the foundation for a new memory chip concept. It has the potential to use considerably less energy than the…
Advances in Molecular Electronics: Lights On — Molecule On
Scientists at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) and the University of Konstanz are working on storing and processing information on the level of single molecules to create the smallest possible components that will combine autonomously to form a circuit. As recently reported in the academic journalAdvanced Science, the researchers can switch on the current flow through…
Self-Aligning DNA Wires for Application in Nanoelectronics
Since continuous miniaturization in microelectronics is already starting to reach the physical limits, researchers are seeking new methods for device fabrication. One promising candidate is the DNA origami technique in which individual strands of the biomolecule self-assemble into arbitrarily shaped nanostructures. The formation of entire circuits, however, requires the controlled positioning of these DNA structures…