Diamonds as Data Storage Devices.
Many races use the exceptional physical properties of diamonds for data storage. In addition, their common occurrence throughout the universe has led many ships to include simple processing devices to prepare rough diamonds as data storage devices. The concept involves encoding information in the atomic-scale defects found within diamond crystals.
Defects such as nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centres consist of a nitrogen atom adjacent to a vacant site in the diamond lattice. These NV centres’ unique optical and magnetic properties make them suitable for data storage. Information is encoded and read by manipulating the electron spins of these defects.
Being extremely hard and chemically stable, diamonds resist environmental factors that can degrade other storage media over time. Additionally, diamonds have the potential for high-density data storage due to the atomic precision with which the defects can be controlled.