Imagine being able to store thousands of songs and
high-resolution images on data devices no bigger than a fingernail. Researchers
from A*STAR’s Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) and the
National University of Singapore (NUS) have discovered that an ultra-smooth
surface is the key factor for “self-assembly” – a cheap, high-volume,
high-density patterning technique.
This allows manufacturers to use the method on a variety of
different surfaces. This discovery paves the way for the development of next
generation data storage devices, with capacities of up to 10 Terabits/in2 which
could lead to significantly greater storage on much smaller data devices.