Credit: Chalmers University of Technology
It is anticipated that within just a few decades, the surging volume of digital data will constitute one of the world's largest energy consumers. Now, researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, have made a breakthrough that could shift the paradigm: an atomically thin material that enables two opposing magnetic forces to coexist—dramatically reducing energy consumption in memory devices by a factor of 10.
This discovery could pave the way for a new generation of ultra-efficient, reliable memory solutions for AI, mobile technology and advanced data processing.
The article, "Coexisting Non-Trivial Van der Waals Magnetic Orders Enable Field-Free Spin-Orbit Torque Magnetization Dynamics" has been published in Advanced Materials.
Memory units are essential components in virtually all modern technologies that process and store information—AI systems, smartphones, computers, autonomous vehicles, household appliances and medical devices. Magnetism has emerged as a key player in the evolution of digital memory.
By harnessing the behavior of electrons in magnetic materials under external fields and electric currents, researchers can design memory chips that are faster, smaller and more energy-efficient.
However, the volume of data being stored, processed and transmitted is growing exponentially. Within a few decades, it is projected to account for nearly 30% of global energy consumption. This has prompted an urgent search for new approaches to building far more energy-efficient memory units—while unlocking entirely new technological opportunities.
Now, the Chalmers team is the first in the world to unveil how a novel, layered material combines two distinct magnetic forces, enabling a 10-fold reduction in energy consumption in memory devices.
"Finding this coexistence of magnetic orders in a single, thin material is a breakthrough. Its properties make it exceptionally well-suited for developing ultra-efficient memory chips for AI, mobile devices, computers and future data technologies," says Dr. Bing Zhao, a researcher in quantum device physics at Chalmers and lead author of the study.
Magnetic attraction
In physics and engineering, two fundamental magnetic states are typically considered: ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism. Ferromagnetism is the familiar phenomenon (seen in everyday magnets) that attracts materials like iron, nickel or cobalt. In this state, electrons align uniformly—like soldiers in formation—creating a unified magnetic field that is externally visible.
In contrast, antiferromagnetism involves electrons with opposing spins, causing their magnetic states to cancel each other out. Combining these two opposing forces offers significant scientific and technical advantages, making them perfect for computer memory and sensors. But until now, this has only been possible by stacking different ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic materials in multilayer structures.
"Unlike these complex, multilayered systems, we've succeeded in integrating both magnetic forces into a single, two-dimensional crystal structure. It's like a perfectly pre-assembled magnetic system—something that couldn't be replicated using conventional materials. Researchers have been chasing this concept since magnetism was first applied to memory technology," says Saroj P. Dash, Professor of Quantum Device Physics at Chalmers and leader of the research project.
Tilted magnetism cuts energy consumption 10-fold
To store information, memory devices must switch the direction of electrons within a material. With conventional materials, this typically requires an external magnetic field to alternate the electron orientation. Chalmers' new material, however, features a built-in combination of opposing magnetic forces that create an internal force and tilted overall magnetic alignment.
"This tilt allows electrons to switch direction rapidly and easily without the need for any external magnetic fields. By eliminating the need for power-hungry external magnetic fields, power consumption can be reduced by a factor of 10," says Dr. Zhao.
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Simpler manufacturing, greater reliability
The material features a magnetic alloy made from both magnetic and non-magnetic elements (cobalt, iron, germanium and tellurium), allowing ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism to coexist within a single structure. In these highly efficient memory devices, films of the two-dimensional crystals are stacked in layers. Unlike conventional materials held together by chemical bonds, these layers are bound by van der Waals forces.
"A material with multiple magnetic behaviors eliminates interface issues in multilayer stacks and is far easier to manufacture. Previously, stacking multiple magnetic films introduced problematic seams at the interfaces, which compromised reliability and complicated device production," says Prof. Dash.
Provided by Chalmers University of Technology
