Abstract :
Millipede" is a new (AFM)-based
data storage concept that has a potentially ultrahigh density, terabit
capacity, small form factor, and high data rate. Its potential for ultrahigh
storage density has been demonstrated by a new thermomechanical local-probe
technique to store and read back data in very thin polymer films. With this new
technique, 3040-nm-sized bit indentations of similar pitch size have been made
by a single cantilever/tip in a thin (50-nm) polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)
layer, resulting in a data storage density of 400500 Gb/in.2
High data rates are achieved by
parallel operation of large two-dimensional (2D) AFM arrays that have been
batch-fabricated by silicon surface-nMcromachining techniques. The very large
scale integration (VLSI) of micro/nanomechanical devices (cantilevers/tips) on
a single chip leads to the largest and densest 2D array of 32 x 32 (1024) AFM
cantilevers with integrated write/read storage functionality ever built.
Initial areal densities of 100200 Gb/in.2 have been achieved with the 32 x 32
array chip, which has potential for further improvements.
In addition to data storage in polymers
or other media, and not excluding magnetics, we envision areas in nanoscale
science and technology such as lithography, high-speed/large-scale imaging,
molecular and atomic manipulation, and many others in which Millipede may open
up new perspectives and opportunities.
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