Phit

Phit (Phase Digit) -technology is in theory the successor of the bit (Binary Digit) in digital logic. Where a bit can stand for 2 values, 0 or 1, in theory, a phit can stand for an infinite number of values.

When an electron passes through a magnetic field at high speeds, it starts to spin in a certain direction. As soon as the magnetic field is switched off, the electron stays in its current position. This way, one electron can hold large quantities of data, if technology permits it.

Scientists are now working on building a transistor that will be able to give 16 different values to an electron. To make 256 symbols, you need 8 bits (2^8=256), but with phits you only need 2 (16^2=256).

The principle has been demonstrated in lab-conditions but a working transistor has not yet been built.

ource

[http://www.physics.ucsb.edu/~awschalom/articles/pdfs/200409_056.pdf Scientific American (September 2004), page 59]