Data storage device
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsSteven L. Naberhuis, Huei-Pei Kuo, Si-Ty Lam, Henryk Birecki
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Abstract
The present disclosure relates to a data storage device, comprising a plurality of electron emitters adapted to emit electron beams, the electron emitters each having a planar emission surface, and a storage medium in proximity to the electron emitter, the storage medium having a plurality of storage areas that are capable of at least two distinct states that represent data, the state of the storage areas being changeable in response to bombardment by electron beams emitted by the electron emitters.
Claims35
A data storage device, comprising:
- a plurality of electron emitters adapted to emit electron beams, each electron emitter having a planar emission surface;
- and
- a storage medium in proximity to the electron emitters, the storage medium having a plurality of storage areas that are capable of at least two distinct states that represent data, the state of each storage area being changeable in response to bombardment by an electron beam emitted by an electron emitter;
- wherein data is written to the device by changing the state of the storage areas and data is read by the device by observing phenomena relevant to the storage areas.
A data storage device, comprising:
- means for emitting electron beams, the means including planar emission surfaces;
- and
- means for storing data capable of at least two distinct states that represent data, the state being changeable in response to bombardment by an electron beam emitted by the means for emitting electron beams;
- wherein data is written to the device by changing the state of the means for storing data and data is read by the device by observing phenomena relevant to the means for storing data.
A method for storing data, comprising the steps of:
- emitting an electron beam from an electron emitter including a planar emission surface;
- directing the electron beam toward a storage medium comprising a plurality of storage areas;
- and
- bombarding one of the storage areas with electrons with the electron beam so as to change a state of the storage area.
A data storage device, comprising:
- a plurality of electron emitters adapted to emit electron beams, the electron emitters each including a substrate having an active region and a semiconductor layer formed on the substrate, the semiconductor layer including a planar outer surface that forms a planar emission surface;
- and
- a storage medium in proximity to the electron emitter, the storage medium having a plurality of storage areas that are capable of at least two distinct states that represent data, the state of the storage areas being changeable in response to bombardment by electron beams emitted by the electron emitters;
- wherein data is written to the device by changing the state of the storage areas and data is read by the device by observing phenomena relevant to the storage areas.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.