As the volume of data from high-definition media and AI services grows exponentially, traditional storage methods are struggling to keep pace. To increase capacity, manufacturers usually shrink the size of the storage, but this approach encounters physical limits like electrical interference. Furthermore, a storage method using light makes it difficult to achieve nanometer-scale integration because light naturally diffuses. A research team led by Professor Kyoung-duck PARK (PHYS, SEMI, CiTE), in cooperation with Sungkyunkwan University and the University of Pennsylvania, has developed a revolutionary optical storage technology that can store hundreds of thousands of times more information. To overcome the barriers, the research team utilized exciton, a quasiparticle formed by the binding of light and electrons in semiconductors.

Excitons possess the characteristics of both light and electrons, allowing researchers to represent multiple levels of information within a single cell. The team created a nano-tunnel junction device by stacking metal-insulator-semiconductor layers to precisely control particle movement. By micro-adjusting charge flow, the team successfully induced excitons to transition into various states, altering the intensity of emitted light. Unlike previous methods, this technology stores information as the “physical state” of internal particles rather than just the presence of light. This non-contact approach reduces physical wear and damage.

First author, Dr. Hyeong-woo LEE (PHYS), noted that this research shifts the storage paradigm to utilizing internal particle states. This breakthrough is expected to transform various industries, including massive data centers, AI infrastructure, and next-generation smart devices. The study was selected as a cover in ACS Nano.