Self-assembling nanoscale discovery could catapult data storage capacity

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/01/self-assembling-nanoscale-discovery-could-catapult-data-storage/

Ready to have your mind blown? What if 250 DVDs could fit onto a storage module no larger than a quarter? According to research conducted by brilliant geeks at the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, it's all within the realm of feasibility. Reportedly, an easily implemented technique "in which nanoscale elements precisely assemble themselves over large surfaces" could soon blow open the doors to significant improvements in data storage capacity. Without getting too Ph.D on you, the process essentially works by taking advantage of just how precise molecules can self-assemble. The end result has researchers achieving "defect-free arrays of nanoscopic elements with feature sizes as small as 3 nanometers, translating into densities of 10 terabits per square inch." Per square inch, son.

[Via TheStandard, thanks Apoc]

Filed under: Storage

Self-assembling nanoscale discovery could catapult data storage capacity originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 01 Mar 2009 06:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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