A new technology, still in its infancy, could revolutionize data storage devices, merging optical and magnetic technologies. A discovery made in 2006 by Dr. Daniel Stanciu and Dr. Frederick Hansteen that uses light to change the polarity of a magnet is being researched and worked on by physicists around the world. Called all-optical magnetization reversal, it could be applied to storage drives that are more reliable than current devices yet are thousands of times faster. The idea involves using a short laser pulse of about 40 femtoseconds in order to switch a magnet’s polarity and therefore write data.
Full Article - http://www.electronista.com/articles/09/01/15/laser.hard.drives.coming/
