The first track memory sample created

Researchers from IBM created the first sample of the so-called "track" memory (racetrack memory), which has long been discussed as the most likely replacement for existing digital storage technologies. So far, things have not progressed further than theoretical research, and now, finally, the first device has been created that is capable of recording and counting three bits of data.

Track memory consists of U-shape magnetic nanofibres and two magnetic heads for reading and writing data. Information is stored in domains that travel along nanofibres. From such U-structures, high-capacity memory modules can be stamped. Similar principles of data storage were proposed by engineers of the 60-70s of the last century, but only with the transition to the nanoscale it became possible to qualitatively improve the performance.

Thanks to this technology, it becomes quite possible to create a cheap non-volatile memory, which will be orders of magnitude higher than the existing one in terms of density and speed. The idea to create such a memory belongs to one of the leading IBM researchers Stuart Parkin, who patented it more than four years ago ( US patent No. 6,834,005 ). Since then, Parkin has been developing in a specially equipped IBM laboratory ( photo ).