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Science 15 October 2004:
Vol. 306. no. 5695, pp. 423 - 425
DOI: 10.1126/science.1103196
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Perspectives

PHYSICS:
The Environment Matters--Even on the Atomic Scale

Matthias Bode

High-density magnetic memories require increasing knowledge and control of magnetic excitations. In his Perspective, Bode highlights the report by Heinrich et al., who use a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) to elucidate spin-flips of individual magnetic atoms dispersed onto a nonmagnetic matrix and exposed to an external magnetic field. Because spin-flip excitations can degrade the performance of high-density memories, this type of study may be essential for the future progress of magnetic data storage technologies. Extensions of the new method--such as spin-polarized inelastic STM--may allow other magnetic excitations to be studied.

The author is with the Institute of Applied Physics and Microstructure Research Center, University of Hamburg, Jungiusstrasse 11, Hamburg 20355, Germany. E-mail: mbode{at}physnet.uni-hamburg.de

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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)