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Disk technology takes Nobel Prize | Disk technology takes Nobel Prize |
(about 3 hours later) | |
French scientist Albert Fert and Peter Grunberg of Germany have won the 2007 Nobel Prize for physics. | |
They discovered the phenomenon of "giant magnetoresistance", in which weak magnetic changes give rise to big differences in electrical resistance. | They discovered the phenomenon of "giant magnetoresistance", in which weak magnetic changes give rise to big differences in electrical resistance. |
The knowledge has allowed industry to develop sensitive reading tools to pull data off hard drives in computers, iPods and other digital devices. | The knowledge has allowed industry to develop sensitive reading tools to pull data off hard drives in computers, iPods and other digital devices. |
It has made it possible to radically miniaturise hard disks in recent years. | It has made it possible to radically miniaturise hard disks in recent years. |
Matin Durrani, editor of Physics World, a journal published by the UK's Institute of Physics, said the award had gone to "something very practically based and rooted in research relevant to industry". | Matin Durrani, editor of Physics World, a journal published by the UK's Institute of Physics, said the award had gone to "something very practically based and rooted in research relevant to industry". |
"It shows that physics has a real relevance not just to understanding natural phenomena but to real products in everyday life," he added. | "It shows that physics has a real relevance not just to understanding natural phenomena but to real products in everyday life," he added. |
'Ubiquitous' technology | |
Professor Ben Murdin of the University of Surrey, UK, said giant magnetoresistance, or GMR, was the science behind a ubiquitous technological device. "Without it you would not be able to store more than one song on your iPod!" he explained. | |
"A computer hard-disk reader that uses a GMR sensor is equivalent to a jet flying at a speed of 30,000 kmph, at a height of just one metre above the ground, and yet being able to see and catalogue every single blade of grass it passes over." | |
GMR involves structures consisting of very thin layers of different magnetic materials. | GMR involves structures consisting of very thin layers of different magnetic materials. |
For this reason it can also be considered "one of the first real applications of the promising field of nanotechnology", the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said in a statement. | For this reason it can also be considered "one of the first real applications of the promising field of nanotechnology", the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said in a statement. |
"Applications of this phenomenon have revolutionised techniques for retrieving data from hard disks," the prize citation said. "The discovery also plays a major role in various magnetic sensors as well as for the development of a new generation of electronics." | "Applications of this phenomenon have revolutionised techniques for retrieving data from hard disks," the prize citation said. "The discovery also plays a major role in various magnetic sensors as well as for the development of a new generation of electronics." |
Bigger, cheaper | |
A hard disk stores information, such as music, in the form of microscopic areas that are magnetised in different directions. | A hard disk stores information, such as music, in the form of microscopic areas that are magnetised in different directions. |
The technology has allowed hard disk sensors to read and write much more data Prof Jim Al-Khalili, University of Surrey | |
The information is retrieved by a read-out head that scans the disk and registers the magnetic changes. | The information is retrieved by a read-out head that scans the disk and registers the magnetic changes. |
The smaller and more compact the hard disk, the smaller and weaker the individual magnetic areas. | The smaller and more compact the hard disk, the smaller and weaker the individual magnetic areas. |
More sensitive read-out heads are therefore needed when more information is crammed on to a hard disk. | More sensitive read-out heads are therefore needed when more information is crammed on to a hard disk. |
"It's no good having computer hard-drives that can store gigabytes of information if we can't access it," said Professor Jim Al-Khalili of the University of Surrey, UK. | |
"The technology that has appeared thanks to the discovery of GMR in the late 1980s has allowed hard-disk sensors to read and write much more data, allowing for bigger memory, cheaper and more reliable computers." | |
Last year, US scientists John C Mather and George F Smoot won for their work examining the infancy of the Universe. | Last year, US scientists John C Mather and George F Smoot won for their work examining the infancy of the Universe. |
They were honoured for their studies into cosmic microwave background radiation (CMB), the "oldest light" in the Universe. | They were honoured for their studies into cosmic microwave background radiation (CMB), the "oldest light" in the Universe. |