DNA-based memory device and method of reading and writing same
AssigneeClemson University
InventorsThomas Boland, Thomas E. Wagner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to a memory device having very high storage density capability. In general, the memory device includes an array of individual memory cells which store information that is assigned a value based on the molecular contents of the memory cell. In a preferred embodiment, the molecules utilized for storing information in the memory cells may be single-strand polynucleotides, for instance single-strand oligonucleotides of between about 5 and about 20 monomer units. The present invention is also directed to methods and systems useful for writing and reading the molecular-based memory devices. In particular, the devices may be written and read via modified atomic force microscopy processes.
Claims23
A memory device comprising:
- a substrate comprising a surface;
- a plurality of memory cells defined on the substrate surface, wherein each memory cell is located at a different memory cell address on the substrate surface;
- an anchoring compound attached to the surface at each memory cell address;
- a linking compound attached to the anchoring compound in at least a portion of the memory cells;
- and
- an oligonucleotide selected from the group consisting of oligo-A oligomers, oligo-T oligomers, oligo-C oligomers, and oligo-G oligomers attached to the linking compound in at least a portion of the memory cells containing the linking compound, wherein the oligonucleotide held in adjacent memory cells can be the same or different.
A memory device comprising:
- a substrate comprising a surface;
- a plurality of memory cells, each memory cell defined at a different memory cell address on the surface;
- and
- at least one oligonucleotide selected from the group consisting of oligo-A oligomers, oligo-T oligomers, oligo-C oligomers, and oligo-G oligomers attached to the surface at the memory cell address of at least a portion of the memory cells, wherein the oligonucleotides in adjacent memory cells can be the same or different.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.