Researchers at the University of Miami and at the Universities of Tokyo and Tohoku, Japan, have been able to prove the existence of a "spin battery," a battery that is "charged" by applying a large magnetic field to nano-magnets in a device called a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ).
The new technology is a step towards the creation of computer hard drives with no moving parts, which would be much faster, less expensive and use less energy than current ones. In the future, the new battery could be developed to power cars. The study will be published in an upcoming issue of Nature and is available in an online advance publication of the journal.
The device created by University of Miami Physicist Stewart E. Barnes, of the College of Arts and Sciences and his collaborators can store energy in magnets rather than through chemical reactions. Like a winding up toy car, the spin battery is "wound up" by applying a large magnetic field --no chemistry involved. The device is potentially better than anything found so far, said Barnes.
READ COMPLETE ARTICLE >>
IMPORTANT NOTICE: To read this Innovations Report news story, click the READ COMPLETE ARTICLE link
above. This will launch a separate window to the original news source. To comment on this
story use the Reader's Comment form below.
Reader Comments
A valid email address and confirmation is required before your comment can be posted. Comments not confirmed within
24 hours are automatically deleted.
2 comments so far...
16-Mar-2009
66139
| |
Can anyone explain how this is suposed to work?!
Piers
Posted by: Piers Headley
|
|
17-Mar-2009
66147
| |
We will need a Physicist to chime in with the details on Spintronics. I remember learning the following: We are used to the idea that electrons orbit an atomic nucleus just as the earth revolves around the sun. Lesser known is the fact that electrons also spin in place, just as the earth rotates on its axis. In fact, electrons can spin in different directions – referred to as “up” spin and “down” spin. When one material contains electrons with both spins, you get spin polarization – which is magnetization. Apparently in this battery technology, an external force is used to either alter the spin characteristics (or manipulate the ratio of “up” to “down”) to a non-natural state. Then, when the devise is allowed to return to its natural state, energy (in this case, electrical energy) is released.
Posted by: Daniel Stewart
|
|
