Physicists have shown how heat can be used to control the magnetic properties of matter. The finding helps in the development of more efficient mass memories. The result was published in Physical Review Letters. The international research group behind the breakthrough included Finnish researchers from the University of Jyväskylä and Aalto University.

The ability to control the huge amount of information on the Internet is largely based on the ability to use the magnetic properties of electrons for reading memory devices. The phenomenon is based on the fact that each electron spins in a certain direction. This spin is closely connected with magnetism. Since the 1990s, this property has been used for a fast reading of the information in magnetic memories. That is because it was found that the direction of magnetic poles affects the electrical resistivity of magnetic materials.

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