Laser-shaping technique could make computer memory 1,000 times faster

· Science · United States

Scientists at UC San Diego have demonstrated a new way to store digital information using light instead of magnets, potentially enabling smaller, faster and more energy-efficient memory devices. By precisely shaping and shrinking an ultrafast laser beam, the researchers showed they could switch memory states optically. The work suggests a route toward memory speeds roughly 1,000 times faster than current approaches, though it remains at the research stage.

Why it matters：Optical switching of memory could eventually challenge magnetic storage's dominance in computing, making this an early signal for the semiconductor and data-storage industries.

Key points

  • The team used an ultrafast laser beam shaped and shrunk with precision.
  • Information was switched optically rather than magnetically.
  • The researchers estimate potential speeds about 1,000 times faster.

Sources (original reporting)

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