The Millipede: more than one thousand tips for future AFM data storage

摘要: We report on a new atomic force microscope (AFM)-based data storage concept called the “Millipede” that has potentially ultrahigh density, terabit capacity, small form factor, and high rate. Its potential for density been demonstrated by thermomechanical local-probe technique to store read back in very thin polymer films. With this technique, 30–40-nm-sized bit indentations of similar pitch size have made single cantilever/tip (50-nm) polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) layer, resulting 400–500 Gb/in. 2 High rates are achieved parallel operation large two-dimensional (2D) AFM arrays batch-fabricated silicon surface-micromachining techniques. The scale integration (VLSI) micro/nanomechanical devices (cantilevers/tips) chip leads largest densest 2D array 32 × (1024) cantilevers with integrated write/read functionality ever built. Time-multiplexed electronics control cycles Millipede chip. Initial areal densities 100–200 chip, which further improvements. In addition polymers or other media, not excluding magnetics, we envision areas nanoscale science technology such as lithography, high-speed/large-scale imaging, molecular manipulation, many others may open up perspectives opportunities.