Method and means for data storage using tunnel current data readout
US4575822A · kind A · utility
87Cited by
5References
21Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 15, 1983 |
| Grant date | Mar 11, 1986 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 15, 2003 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S977/947
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Disclosed is a digital memory in which data is stored by establishing perturbations in a surface of a substrate and thereafter identifying the perturbations by establishing a tunnel electron current between the surface of the substrate and a movable probe. The perturbations can be physical, electrical, or magnetic, for example, such that the tunneling electron current is affected thereby. Storage area for a bit of data can be reduced to the order of 10.sup.-4 square microns, and the volume of a 100 megabyte mass storage can be reduced to the order of a cubic centimeter.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.