New Initiative: Storage of information by chemicals

Scientists at IPC PAS have developed a new way to store information with chemical droplets.

What is "Chit"?

In classical computing, information is stored into bits - which are read as electricity in physical phenomena. You can recognize bits as binary 1 and 0. In quantum computers, information is stored in quantum bits, or "qubits" . However, computers are not the only device we can store information: chemistry also has this capability. Scientists at the Institute of Chemical Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IPC PAS) have developed a new way in which droplets of chemicals can store information such as bits and qubits, with a unit of chemical memory equivalent to a bit called "chit".

Chit is made up of three drops of chemicals.

Chit is made up of three drops of chemicals. Between these droplets occurs chemical reactions, periodic and continuous. This memory is derived from the Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction, a vibrational response. Each reaction produces the reagents needed for the next reaction, continuing to infinity. These reactions are supported by a ferroin catalyst - causing color change. There is also a second catalyst - ruthenium - which makes the photosensitive reaction. Thanks to this light-sensitive feature, when the blue light glows, the response will not fluctuate. This is important because it allows researchers to control the process.

Result

Chit is mainly used for "computer chemistry". So, instead of using traditional bit units, the ingredients are chemical. While quantum computing is continuing to grow, this new form of computing can create a whole new way of storing, reading and transmitting information.

Everything from smartphone technology to digital files is categorized depending on the ability to store and read information - the basis of computing. The radical change of the foundation of most of the technologies we use today can produce amazing results. It is possible that technologies to combat climate change will have major upgrades and modifications. It is possible that the equipment and facilities we are using to explore the universe will also change. This advance can completely revolutionize the industry in ways we can not even imagine.