Chinese scientists manage to store data in diamond; understand how it works

Researchers at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) have announced a stunning breakthrough in the field of data storage: encoding information into diamonds, achieving a density of 1.85 TB/cm³ (1.85 terabytes per cubic centimeter). The research, published in Nature Photonics, not only surpasses current storage density limits, but also promises unmatched durability and efficiency.

For comparison, advanced hard drives reach approximately 1 terabyte per cubic centimeterwhile Blu-ray discs have similar density and greater durability. However, the method developed by USTC offers superior density and exceptional strength, with data stored in diamonds potentially lasting millions of years.

How Diamond Storage Works

Scientists used nitrogen vacancy centers (NV – in English) – defects in the crystalline structure where carbon atoms are replaced by nitrogen alongside empty spaces. These centers have fluorescent properties that allow data to be stored when stimulated by high-precision lasers.

The technique offers not only greater density, but also ultra-fast writingwith recording times of up to 200 femtoseconds (1 femtosecond is equivalent to one quadrillionth of a second). Furthermore, the researchers ensure that the data remains readable for at least 100 years, even under extreme conditions of up to 200°C.

“Storage does not require any maintenance (such as temperature and humidity control, etc.) and does not generate energy consumption for data storage”explains USTC.

First application: diamond engraved art

To demonstrate the potential of the technology, the Chinese team recorded the famous sequence photography work Galloping Horses by Eadweard Muybridge, 1878. Using a three-dimensional stacking method, each frame occupied an area of ​​approximately 90×70 square micrometers not diamond.

The process was carried out with diamonds just a few millimeters in size, but researchers believe the technology can be scaled to larger, more practical applications.

Diamonds in the future of technology

Data storage isn’t the only promising technological application for diamonds. Big companies like Amazon Web Services (AWS) are exploring the use of diamonds for quantum networkswhile Japanese scientists investigate their potential as semiconductors.

The idea of ​​using diamonds as high-density memory dates back to 2016, when researchers at the City College of New York demonstrated an initial conceptbut without reaching significant densities. Now, the USTC team has taken research to a new level, making diamond storage a tangible possibility.

With continued advancements, diamonds could become the new storage standard, offering long-lasting, high-efficiency solutions to the growing data demands of the modern world.

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