Nano wireless

September 19, 2005

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Fireflies, heart cells and pendulum clocks synchronize with others of their kind. The same turns out to be true for nanoscale electromagnets, which can be used to transmit and receive microwaves.

An experiment conducted by researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Hitachi San Jose Research Center, and a second experiment by researchers at Freescale Semiconductor Inc., show that a pair of nanoscale magnetic oscillators in close proximity synchronize. And as the oscillators vibrate in tandem, their output power increases exponentially.

The oscillators are thin magnetic layers sandwiching a non-magnetic layer. The magnetic layers are oriented in opposite directions, and under a direct electrical current, their electrons align in opposite directions, causing the device's overall magnetic orientation to rapidly oscillate. These oscillations cause waves of magnetic alignment to ripple through the electrons in surrounding material. The waves from a pair oscillators in close proximity interact in such a way that they synchronize.

Arrays of nano-oscillators could be used to communicate information sans wires between parts of a computer chip or between computer chips within devices.

Technology Research News: www.trnmag.com