公开(公告)号：US5453970A

公开(公告)日：1995-09-26

申请号：US90664

申请日：1993-07-13

申请人： Thomas F. Rust ,  Joanne P. Culver

发明人： Thomas F. Rust ,  Joanne P. Culver

IPC分类号： B82B1/00 ,  B82B3/00 ,  G01Q30/00 ,  G01Q60/00 ,  G01Q80/00 ,  G11B9/00 ,  G11C13/02

CPC分类号： G11C13/02 ,  B82B1/00 ,  B82B3/00 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  B82Y30/00 ,  B82Y40/00 ,  G11B9/14 ,  G11B9/1418 ,  G11B9/1472 ,  G11B9/149 ,  G11C13/0014 ,  G01Q80/00 ,  Y10S977/861 ,  Y10S977/872 ,  Y10S977/943 ,  Y10S977/947

摘要： A molecular memory medium for storing digital bits at a density of several hundred million per square centimeter. The medium is read and written by a tunnelling probe, and comprises a plane surface and a means for moving the surface relative to the tunnelling probe. Arrayed on the surface are plural memory elements, each storing one bit, and having, relative to the surface, a first positional state and a second positional state, representing the first state and the second state, respectively, of the bit. The positional states are distinguished from one another by a difference in a tunnelling current in the tunnelling probe. The memory element is switched from one positional state to the other by an electrostatic force applied by the tunnelling probe. A molecular memory apparatus for reading such a molecular memory medium includes a tunnelling probe, a drive for moving the storage medium relative to the tunnelling probe, and a controller for positioning the tunnelling probe relative to the track and the surface. A voltage applying circuit applies a voltage to the tunnelling probe, and a circuit causes the voltage applying circuit to apply a first voltage to the tunnelling probe and measures the resulting tunnelling current that depends on the positional state of the memory element adjacent to the tunnelling probe. Finally, a circuit determines from the tunnelling current the digital state represented by the memory element adjacent to the tunnelling probe, and provides the determined digital state as an output bit.

摘要翻译： 用于以每平方厘米数亿的密度存储数字位的分子存储介质。 介质由隧道探针读取和写入，并且包括平面表面和用于相对于隧道探针移动表面的装置。 在表面上排列有多个存储元件，每个存储元件分别存储一位，并且相对于表面具有分别表示位的第一状态和第二状态的第一位置状态和第二位置状态。 通过隧道探针中的隧道电流的差异来区分位置状态。 通过隧道探针施加的静电力将存储元件从一个位置状态切换到另一位置状态。 用于读取这种分子存储介质的分子存储装置包括隧道探针，用于相对于隧道探针移动存储介质的驱动器，以及用于相对于轨道和表面定位隧道探针的控制器。 电压施加电路向隧道探针施加电压，并且电路使施加电压的电路向隧道探针施加第一电压，并测量取决于与隧道探针相邻的存储元件的位置状态的结果隧道电流 。 最后，电路根据隧道电流确定由与隧道探针相邻的存储元件表示的数字状态，并将所确定的数字状态提供为输出位。