How do you make the world’s thinnest magnet? Mix zinc, oxygen, and a dash of cobalt – serve it up on a platter that’s just one-atom thin.
Our mobile devices rely on thinner, smaller magnets to store more data without compromising portability and efficiency.
For years, scientists have tried to make magnetic thin films even thinner so that we can store more data as our devices get even smaller.
But when conventional magnets are whittled down to sheets that are just one-atom thin, they lose their magnetism.
Scientists working at Berkeley Lab and UC Berkeley have discovered a surprising workaround to this limitation. Their findings defy a long-held theory about how magnetism works – and open the door to sophisticated new advances in computing and electronics.
In this short video, Berkeley Lab's Jie Yao explains how his record-breaking magnet works and why it’s important.
Yao is a faculty scientist in Berkeley Lab’s Materials Sciences Division and associate professor of materials science and engineering at UC Berkeley.
Video produced by Marilyn Sargent, Berkeley Lab multimedia producer.
Video design and animation by Jenny Nuss, Berkeley Lab digital content specialist, and Marilyn Sargent.
Read more about the discovery here. 
