Identification and characterization of remote objects by electric charge tunneling, injection, and induction, and an erasable organic molecular memory

• US 10,281,430 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2017
• Issued: 05/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA
• Original Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Inventors: Generazio, Edward R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Viet Q
• Application Number:
  US15/647,640
• Publication Number:
  US 20180017528A1
• Time in Patent Office: 664 Days
• Field of Search: 365 51
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/60 by investigating electrostatic variables , e.g. electrographic flaw testing G01N27/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 13/02 using elements whose operation depends upon chemical change G11C13/0009 takes precedence

Abstract

Various embodiments provide methods to identify and characterize remote objects by use of electric charge distributions generated by charge tunneling, charge injection, and charge induction. Various embodiments may use selective electrostatic charging to change the electrostatic potential throughout volumes for identification and characterization. In various embodiments, objects of interest may be selectively charged by tunneling, injection, and induction of electrical charges or free carriers. Tunneled, injected, and induced charges may migrate to sites or locations internal to volumes to yield electrostatic potential differences and electrostatic fields. In various embodiments, variations in the electrostatic potential created by the presence of the tunneled, injected, and induced charges may be quantitatively measured to identify and characterize remote objects.

Claims

1. A method for operating a memory, comprising:

applying a voltage to an electrode located adjacent to a data storage panel of the memory disposed between the electrode and a conductive panel of the memory to establish an electric potential at the electrode to write data to a portion of the data storage panel; and

measuring an electrostatic potential over a surface of the portion of the data storage panel to read the data;

erasing the data by neutralizing the surface of the portion of the data storage panel.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising neutralizing the surface of the data storage panel to erase the memory.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the electrode is located adjacent to the data storage panel such that a gap is formed between the electrode and the surface of the data storage panel; and

neutralizing the surface of the storage panel consists of one or both of reducing the gap between the electrode and the surface of the data storage panel and changing a potential between the electrode and the surface of the data storage panel.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein neutralizing the surface of the storage panel comprises varying a shape of the electrode or the surface of the data storage panel.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring the electrostatic potential over the surface of the data storage panel comprises electric field imaging the surface of the data storage panel.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrode is one of a multiple electrodes.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrode is one of two or more electrodes separated by the data storage panel and the data storage panel comprises an organic triboelectric material surround by organic insulating sheathing.

8. A memory, comprising:

a data storage panel;

at least one electrode adjacent to the data storage panel;

a voltage source connected to the electrode and configured to establish an electric potential at the electrode and thereby write data to a portion of the data storage panel; and

an electric field imaging circuit configured to measure an electrostatic potential over a surface of the data storage panel to read the data from portion of the data storage panel.

9. The memory of claim 8, wherein the data storage panel is a triboelectric material, the memory further comprising:

an electrode support bracket supporting the at least one electrode and connected to a storage panel mounting bracket supporting the organic data storage panel by a hinge; and

a conductive panel supported on a side of the data storage panel opposite the at least one electrode when the electrode support bracket and storage panel mounting bracket are in a closed position.

10. The memory of claim 9, wherein

the at least one electrode includes an array of electrodes;

and

the electrode support bracket and storage panel mounting bracket are configured such that the array of electrodes is located adjacent to the data storage panel such that a gap is formed between the array of electrodes and a front surface of the data storage panel in a closed position.

11. The memory of claim 10, wherein the conductive panel is supported at a back surface of the data storage panel and the conductive panel is held at a ground potential during write operations for the memory.

12. The memory of claim 11, wherein the electrode support bracket and storage panel mounting bracket are configured such that the data storage panel can be moved away from the array of electrodes into an open position for measuring an electrostatic potential over the back surface of the organic data storage panel to read the data.

13. The memory of claim 8,

wherein the data storage panel is a triboelectric material and the memory;

and

further comprising insulating sheathing surrounding the triboelectric material, wherein the electrode is one of two or more electrodes separated by the triboelectric material surround by insulating sheathing.

14. The memory of claim 8,

wherein the data storage panel is a triboelectric material and the memory;

and

further comprising a support bracket configured to variably tension the triboelectric material.

15. The memory of claim 8,

wherein the data storage panel is a triboelectric material and the memory;

and

wherein the at least one electrode is configured such that a shape of the electrode or a location of the electrode is varied to migrate free carriers to a subsurface molecular position in the triboelectric material.

16. A memory, comprising:

a data storage panel;

at least one electrode adjacent to the data storage panel;

a first means for applying a voltage to an electrode located adjacent to the data storage panel disposed between the electrode and a conductive panel to establish an electric potential at the electrode to write data to a portion of the data storage panel;

a second means for measuring an electrostatic potential over a surface of the data storage panel to read the data from the portion of the data storage panel.