The University of Leicester is the co-ordinating partner in an international project involving information that can be stored on nano-particles.

The project, entitled Nanospin, aims to use the novel properties of nanoparticles in the building of new materials and devices and, looking even further ahead, to functionalise the nanoparticles themselves, by making them from more than one element, or as core-shell structures, so that each is able to become a device.

A simple example is a magnetic nanoparticle that can store a single data bit of information by defining the direction of its magnetisation. The data storage density of modern computer disks is impressive but if it becomes possible to store each data bit on a single nanoparticle, then storage densities 100 times greater could be achieved. To put this into context, such a nanoparticle medium could store about 2 million books, or a large library, on an area the size of a postage stamp.

The Nanospin partnership involves the Universities of Leicester, Reading and Surrey (UK), NCSR "Demokritos" (Athens, Greece), Sumy State University (Ukraine), CNR-ISM Rome (Italy), Universitat de Barcelona (Spain) and NT-MDT Co, Zelenograd (Russian Federation).

Chris Binns, Professor of Nanoscience in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Leicester, commented: "Nanotechnology, that is, the use of structures whose dimensions are on the nanometre scale to build new materials and devices, appears to hold the key to future developments in a wide range of technologies, including materials, science, information technology and healthcare.

"An important aspect of nanotechnology is the recognition that sufficiently small pieces of matter (nanoparticles) have electronic magnetic and optical properties that are different from the bulk material.

"In addition, their properties are size-dependent and so nanoparticles can be considered as new building blocks of matter or 'giant atoms', whose properties can be tailored."

Further information is available from Chris Binns, Professor of Nanoscience, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, tel +44 (0)116 252 3585, email cb12@le.ac.uk

Ather Mirza
Director of Press and Publications
University of Leicester
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THE UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER

The University of Leicester is the UK's top ranked University for teaching quality and overall satisfaction amongst universities teaching full time students and was rated joint 1st in the UK in the 2005 National Student Survey. Founded in 1921, the University of Leicester has 19,000 students from 120 countries. Teaching in 18 subject areas has been graded Excellent by the Quality Assurance Agency- including 14 successive scores - a consistent run of success matched by just one other UK University.

Leicester is world renowned for the invention of DNA Fingerprinting by Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys and houses Europe's biggest academic Space Research Centre. 90% of staff are actively engaged in high quality research and 13 subject areas have been awarded the highest rating of 5* and 5 for research quality, demonstrating excellence at an international level. The University's research grant income places it among the top 20 UK research universities.

The University employs over 3,000 people, has a turnover of £167.5m, covers an estate of 94 hectares and is engaged in a £300m investment programme- among the biggest of any UK university.