Probes and Media for High Density Data Storage

• US 20080165568A1
• Filed: 12/17/2007
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nanochip, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nanochip, Inc.
• Inventors: Rust, Thomas F.
• Application Number:
  US11/958,265
• Publication Number:
  US 20080165568A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 365/151
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 11/20 with reproducing by magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2005/0002 Special dispositions or recording techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2005/0005 Arrangements, methods or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/00 Recording by magnetisation or demagnetisation of a record carrier; Reproducing by magnetic means; Record carriers therefor G11B11/00 and G11B13/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/127 Structure or manufacture of heads, e.g. inductive
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 9/14 using microscopic probe means , i.e. recording or reproducing by means directly associated with the tip of a microscopic electrical probe as used in Scanning Tunneling Microscopy [STM] or Atomic Force Microscopy [AFM] for inducing physical or electrical perturbations in a recording medium; Record carriers or media specially adapted for such transducing of information marking using electrical current B41M5/20; measuring roughness or irregularity of surfaces G01B7/34; details of scanning-probe microscopes G01Q
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 9/1409 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 9/1472 characterised by the form

Abstract

A device in accordance with embodiments of the present invention comprises a contact probe for high density data storage reading, writing, erasing, or rewriting. In one embodiment, the contact probe can include a silicon core having a conductive coating. Contact probes in accordance with the present invention can be applied to a phase change media, for example, to form an indicia in the phase change media by changing the electrical resistivity of a portion of the phase change media.

Claims

1. A system for storing data, the system comprising:

a memory device having a media that is adapted to store data;

a probe electrically connectable with the memory device, the probe including;

a first portion formed from an insulator, and

a second portion formed from a conductor, the second portion being disposed adjacent to the first portion;

wherein the second portion communicates electrically with the media to perform one of a read and a write in the media;

wherein the media has two or more ranges of electrical resistivity to represent one or more data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein when a current is applied between the probe and the memory device, an electrical resistivity within one of the two or more ranges of electrical resistivity can be provided to a portion of the media.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the probe is electrically connected with the memory device when the probe contacts the memory device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the media is a phase change material.

5. A system for storing data, the system comprising:

a memory device having a media that is adapted to store data;

a probe electrically connectable with the memory device, the probe including;

a first portion formed from an insulator, and

a second portion formed from a conductor, the second portion being disposed adjacent to the first portion;

wherein the first portion and the second portion can simultaneously contact the media and the second portion communicates electrically with the media to perform one of a read and a write in the media;

wherein the media has two or more ranges of electrical resistivity to represent one or more data.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein when a current is applied between the probe and the memory device, an electrical resistivity within one of the two or more ranges of electrical resistivity can be provided to a portion of the media.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the probe is electrically connected with the memory device when the probe contacts the memory device.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the media is a phase change material.

9. A system for storing data, the system comprising:

a memory device having a media that is adapted to store data;

a probe electrically connectable with the memory device, the probe including;

a first portion formed from an insulator, and

a second portion formed from a conductor, the second portion formed side by side with the first portion;

the first and second portion having respective adjacent first and second edges, which first and second edges can simultaneously contact the media;

wherein the second portion communicates electrically with the media to perform one of a read and a write in the media;

wherein the media has two or more ranges of electrical resistivity to represent one or more data.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein when a current is applied between the probe and the memory device, an electrical resistivity within one of the two or more ranges of electrical resistivity can be provided to a portion of the media.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the probe is electrically connected with the memory device when the probe contacts the memory device.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the media is a phase change material.