Text IV

I. Read the text trying to understand its title.

Closeness breeds material changes

Such proximity effects – changes in material behavior because the materials are so close -show up in giant magneto-resistance, a phenomenon discovered in 1988 and used in computer hard drives. Tiny magnetic bits are hard to read individually, but interleaved nanolayers of cobalt, copper, iron and chromium show substantial changes in resistance in magnetic fields because the layers are so close together. IBM and the magnetic recording industry have used this to create ultrasensitive hard-drive read mechanisms. "The nano-community looks at a wide range of phenomena," said Sam Bader, Argonne senior physicist and coordinator of a new research initiative in nanomagnetic research that DOE recently approved for funding at a rate of $1.2 million a year. "It includes atoms, molecules and small clusters, and carries forward some existing technologies – such as semiconductors – by understanding bulk materials from a micro-structural view.

"We want to know how properties change at the smaller scales and are finding new effects, some of which are commercially viable. Nanoscience draws some of its importance from how quickly we've been able to turn these into technological applications."

The nanomagnetism initiative provides an interdisciplinary framework to help stage the next advance in complex materials research. It takes a broad approach, working with materials that fall from around one micron (one millionth of a meter) in size to less than 10 nanometers. As the scale decreases, the dominant physics changes, and new materials, properties and applications emerge.

Bader suggested that the computer world might one day be based in magnetic properties instead of electrical. This might make it possible to build computers with architectures that could be restructured depending on the task of the moment. The same machine could be configured like a Macintosh for tasks that a Mac operating system performs best and like a PC when Windows OS is preferable.

Also possible could be magnetic configurations that would not be limited by binary logic, making them more like the human brain. "This is far away, but promising," Bader said.

Studies on the nanoscale could lead to better bulk magnets and more efficient motors with consequent savings in the use of fossil fuels. It may also become possible to incorporate magnetic molecules in polymers, creating plastics that could be used where traditional magnets cannot, for example in certain corrosive environments.

II. Give Russian equivalents to the following English words and word combinations. Read them correctly and memorize them:

proximity effect, magneto – resistance, tiny magnetic bits, interleaved nanolayers, ultrasensitive hard – drive read mechanism, nano – community, nano – magnetic research, interdisciplinary framework, complex materials research, to take a broad approach, to emerge, magnetic configurations, binary logic, consequent savings, corrosive environment,

III. Comment on the following statements:

1. The computer world might one day be based on magnetic properties instead of electrical.

2. This is far away but promising.

3. Studies on the nanoscale could lead to better bulk magnets.

IV. Answer the following question:

How will materials change in the near future?

TEXT V

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