Ferroelectric mechanical memory and method

A method of making a nonvolatile memory device comprising:

• providing two electrically conductive layers adapted to be connected to a voltage source;
• providing a first ferroelectric layer positioned between the two conductive layers;
• the ferroelectric layer comprising a fixed portion and a movable portion;
• the movable portion being displaced a predetermined distance from a first position to a second position upon application of a positive or negative voltage between the two conductive layers;
• providing a first contact operatively connectable to one of the two conductive layers and to one of a voltage potential or ground;
• providing a sense amplifier operatively connected to the first contact to sense the opening and closing of the operative connection to the first contact such that during a read operation the sense amplifier is used to detect the amount of time the contact is in operative electrical connection with the voltage source;
• the application of one of a positive or negative voltage from the voltage source resulting in the first ferroelectric layer deforming internally and resulting in different internal deformation of the ferroelectric material when a positive voltage is applied than the internal deformation when a negative voltage is applied and the internal deformation is retained after the voltage is removed, and
• causing movement of the movable portion from the first to the second position resulting in operative electrical connection between one of the two conductive layers and the contact;
• the ferroelectric layer being configured to retain a first state if a positive voltage is applied and a second state if a negative voltage is applied;
• whereby the internal deformation is due to hysteretic dimensional changes and can be used to store either a one or zero binary bit that is retained when no voltage is applied, and wherein a subsequent voltage across the ferroelectric capacitor operates to determine whether a one or zero has been stored.

A method of making a nonvolatile memory device comprising:

• providing a base;
• providing two electrically conductive layers adapted to be connected to a voltage source;
• providing a ferroelectric layer positioned between the two conductive layers;
• the ferroelectric layer comprising a fixed portion operatively connected to the base and a movable portion;
• the movable portion being displaced a predetermined distance from a first position to a second position upon application of a positive or negative voltage between the two conductive layers;
• providing a first contact operatively connectable to one of the two conductive layers;
• providing a sense amplifier operatively connected to the first contact to sense the opening and closing of the operative connection to the first contact such that during a read operation the sense amplifier is used to detect the amount of time the contact is in operative electrical connection with the voltage source;
• the application of one of a positive or negative voltage from the voltage source causing movement of the movable portion from the first to the second position resulting in operative electrical connection between one of the two conductive layers and the contact;
• the ferroelectric layer being configured to retain a first state of deformation if a positive voltage is applied and a second state of deformation if a negative voltage is applied and the state of deformation is retained after the voltage is removed.