Atomic resolution storage device
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorGary R. Ashton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A storage device and a storage system employing the storage device. In one embodiment, the storage devices include an electron emitter and a storage medium in close proximity to the electron emitter. The storage medium includes a phase change material. A read signal detector capable of detecting light is provided in communication with the storage medium.
Claims26
A storage device comprising:
- an electron emitter;
- a storage medium in close proximity to the electron emitter, the storage medium including a phase change material;
- and
- a read signal detector capable of detecting light in communication with the storage medium.
A storage device comprising:
- an electron emitter;
- a storage medium in close proximity to the electron emitter, the storage medium including a phase change material;
- and
- a cathodoluminescence read signal detector in light communication with the storage medium.
A storage device comprising:
- an electron emitter capable of generating an electron beam current;
- a storage medium in close proximity to the electron emitter, the storage medium comprising a material having cathodoluminescence properties, having a first state and a second state for storing information;
- and
- a photodiode in light communication with the storage medium, wherein when the storage medium is exposed to the electron beam current, the photodiode is configured to receive a cathodoluminescence signal representative of whether the storage medium is in the first state of the second state.
A storage system comprising:
- a nonvolatile storage device comprising an electron emitter which generates an electron beam current, a storage medium in close proximity to the electron emitter, wherein the storage medium is made of a phase change material, and a photodiode in light communication with the storage medium;
- and
- a control system in communication with the nonvolatile storage device for reading and writing data to the storage device.
A storage system comprising:
- a control system;
- and
- an array of storage devices configured to communicate with the storage system, each storage device including an array of electron emitters fabricated by semiconductor microfabrication techniques capable of generating electron beams, a storage medium having medium partitions, and a plurality of micromovers wherein each micromover is operable to move a media partition relative to one or more electron emitters for reading and writing data at the media, and a photodiode positioned at each media partition for reading data stored at the media partition.
A method of manufacturing a storage device using semiconductor techniques comprising:
- positioning an electron emitter in close proximity to a phase change medium on the storage device;
- configuring a micromover for moving the electron emitter relative to the medium;
- and
- positioning a cathodoluminescence signal detector in light communication with the phase change medium.
A method of reading information from a semiconductor storage device comprising:
- positioning an electron emitter having an electron beam in close proximity to a phase change storage medium having information stored thereon via storage areas in a first state or second state;
- moving the electron emitter over a storage area;
- detecting a cathodoluminescence signal from the phase change storage medium representative of whether the storage area is in the first state or the second state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.