Magnetic devices like the ones Incorvia’s team creates tend to hold up well under high-radiation conditions, in a way silicon chips don’t. This is because radiation can create electrical charges that affect electrical-based devices much more than magnetic-based devices. This is particularly relevant to space applications, where high levels of radiation are a challenge.
In the third paper, published in IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, the team tested the thin film stack detailed in Applied Science Letters for resistance to radiation. The researchers worried that the structural differences between the new device and other magnetic devices would nullify its radiation resistance. That wasn’t the case, and the new device stood up well to radiation exposure.
The team applied high doses of radiation and used resources at the Texas Materials Institute to analyze what happens when breakdown does occur. They found that high levels of radiation affect the nanometer-thick layers at the bottom of the multi-layer stack more than layers at the top of the stack. This finding will help inform design considerations when adapting these magnetic devices to high radiation environments.
“Using nanomagnetism in computing combines cutting-edge ideas in electrical engineering, computer engineering, physics, materials science and neuroscience,” Incorvia said. “We are just starting out on what can be done, and these results provide some clear directions on where to go next.”