NWO grant for study on low-energy data storage with FELIX light

Prof. dr. Andrei Kirilyuk (FELIX Laboratory) and prof. dr. Alexey Kimel (IMM) received an NWO grant of €600.000,- to work on low-energy data storage using FELIX light. They will develop new ways to store data using light-induced switching of magnetic bits. This innovative approach can decrease the energy consumption of electronic devices millions of times.

Recent research convincingly shows that magnets can control light. One of the main obstacles on the way to all-photonic information processing with ultralow energy consumption is switching the magnetization of a medium with the help of light. Kirilyuk and Kimel are going to study photo-magnetism in mid- and far-infrared (THz) spectral range of FELIX. Kirilyuk: “The old wisdom says: ‘If the mountain will not come to Mohammed, Mohammed will go to the mountain’. The usual way to reverse magnetization is to get the system up across the mountain, represented by the magnetic anisotropy barrier. In contrast, our research suggests to move the mountain to under the system. I am very looking forward to it.”

NWO projectruimte
This project is funded through 'Physics Projectruimte', a granting instrument for small-scale projects that propose innovative fundamental physics research that has a scientific, industrial or social urgency. The board of NWO Domain Science (ENW) has granted a total of 4.4 million euros for the funding of ten proposals.