Magnetic layers with insulator showing the tunneling magneto thermoelectric voltage (Via PTB)
MRAM (Magnetic RAM) may soon be the coolest memory ever made.
Researchers from the Physical and Technical Institute (PTB) of Braunschweig, Germany discovered a way for computers to actually use wasted energy/heat to power itself while maintaining a low operating temperature, dubbed “tunnel magneto thermoelectric voltage." In the magnetic tunnelling structure, of MRAM or hard drive heads, there are two magnetic elements separated by an insulator. When the two sides, poles, have the same magnetization current flows easily. Oppose the two poles, resistance increases. Both states are used to represent bits.
The research team found that switching the poles will not only oppose/promote current flow, but also the flow of heat. In fact, the heat flow along with the current. In moving the heat from one side to the other, the thermoelectric effect is induced. In other words, using the heat generated by regular operation to create a thermoelectric voltage. This is very much like heating one side of a Peltier junction and generating an output voltage.
Not only will heat be controlled and data stored, it appears that a little voltage scavenging could be done at the same time.
Eavesdropper
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