Physics Colloquium: A new spin on magnetism with applications in information processing

Prof. Andy Kent (New York University)

Abstract: Recent advances in magnetism research are likely to have an important impact on electronics and information processing. These advances use the electron’s magnetic moment (spin) to transmit, write and store information. They enable new devices that operate at high speed with very low energy consumption. The information is stored in the orientation of electron magnetic moments in magnetic materials and can persist without power; energy is only needed to change and read the information. In this talk, I will highlight the new physics concepts and materials that have enabled these advances and discuss some of their applications in information processing.