Chinese researchers have developed a high density molecular storage system that uses organic molecules to store and encrypt data, reports Blocks and files. The information is recorded and recovered using a specialized atomic force microscope, which handles molecular states to store the data, according to the description of Nature. Although technology can potentially allow ultra-high density storage devices that reduce the requirements of storage spaces and energy consumption (for example, hard drives with capacities of 100 TB and more), a short lifespan under the atomic microscope remains a major obstacle.
Traditional hard drives store data on magnetic materials that modify their properties using magnetic writing heads. Molecular hard drive molecular technology works by storing and processing data using tiny molecules that modify their electrical properties when exposed to voltage. The researchers used 200 Ru-assembly LPH molecules arranged in a thin monocouche (SAM), where ruthenium ions switch between the oxidation state and the state of accumulation of ions, modifying the conductance of the material using a conductive atomic microscope (C-AFM). A (C-AFM) Aipte with a radius of 25 Nm written and reads the data by applying a small tension to control these molecular changes, allowing 96 different conductance states per unit (6-bit storage), which somewhat resembles cellular Nand at several levels.
Given that this system does not need strong magnetic fields and does not need to heat the environment, it works with extremely low energy consumption (PW / BIT range) for readings and entries, which is potentially very effective for the storage of large -scale data, according to the researchers. However, since scientists are considering the use of their innovations in hard drive form factors with rotation media based on glass substrates, the energy consumption of real discs will probably be comparable to that of traditional hard drives, because the motors will always consume power.
The researchers believe that the SAM layer has an estimated thickness of ~ 2.54 nm. If we assume that each RU LPH molecule has a similar width and length on the order of a few nanometers, then 200 molecules arranged in a compact single-toss would occupy an area roughly in the beach of tens of square navometers (that is to say 10 to 20 nm in width and length). Towel mathematics then shows that the storage of 6 bits of data per 200 self-assembled LPH lph molecules results in approximately 9.6 gbit / inch ^ 2 (keep in mind that the napkin mathematics could be wrong, however), which is in accordance with what manufacturers of hard disks Expect the traditional writing of hard drives and the media with a bit pattern (BPM). These hard drives with HDMR technology should emerge Sometimes in the 2030s and allow capacities of more than 120 TB per 3.5 -inch HDD.
While HDMR has its own peculiarities (for example, fully patterned support using lithography technology), this technology is at least understood by hard drives manufacturers, which potentially makes molecular research of obsolete hard drive because when it can reach maturity and be ready for commercial applications, HDMR will be in mass production. However, the molecular technology of the hard drive seems to have an ace in its sleeve.
Molecular hard drives can implement integrated encryption using Xor to Bit operations. This means that the system can safely code the data at the molecular level, preventing unauthorized access. This has been demonstrated by encrypting Mogao Grottoes wall images, where information from each pixel was transformed using XOR logic and decrypted later. In addition, the molecular hard drive can perform logical operations like and, or, and XOR directly in the storage unit, reducing the need for additional calculation power.
Despite its potential, the system has a critical flaw, however – the short operational life of the C -AFM tip. These tips last between 50 and 200 hours when used intermittently and only 5 to 50 hours in continuous mode, depending on the blocks and files. Such a limitation makes long -term long -scale storage applications un practical unless more sustainable advice can be developed. If this problem is resolved, molecular storage could correspond or even exceed the density of new generation hard drives and the storage of archival band. However, for the moment, important engineering challenges remain obstacles to become a viable alternative to existing storage methods.