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Title: Piezoelectrically actuated ultrananocrystalline diamond tip array integrated with ferroelectric or phase change media for high-density memory

Patent ·
OSTI ID:1531605

A compact large density memory piezoactuated storage device and process for its fabrication provides an integrated microelectromechanical (MEMS) and/or nanoelectromechanical (NEMS) system and structure that features an integrated large density array of nanotips made of wear-resistant conductive ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) in which the tips are actuated via a piezoelectric thin film integrated with the UNCD tips. The tips of the special piezoactuated storage device effectively contact an underlying metal layer (top electrode) deposited on a polarizable ferroelectric layer that is grown on top of another metal layer (bottom electrode) to form a ferroelectric capacitor. Information is imprinted in the ferroelectric layer by the polarization induced by the application of a voltage pulse between the top and bottom electrodes through the conductive UNCD tips. This integrated microelectromechanical (MEMS) and/or nanoelectromechanical (NEMS) system and structure can be efficiently used to imprint data in the ferroelectric layer for memory storage with high density in the gigabit (Gb) to terabit (Tb) range. An alternative memory media to the ferroelectric layer can be a phase change material that exhibits two orders of magnitude difference in electrical resistance between amorphous and crystalline phases.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-06CH11357; W-31-109-ENG-38
Assignee:
UChicago Argonne, LLC (Argonne, IL)
Patent Number(s):
7,602,105
Application Number:
11/789,344
OSTI ID:
1531605
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 2007-04-24
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (6)

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Diamond AFM probe with piezoelectric sensor and actuator
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conference January 2003
Ultrananocrystalline diamond cantilever wide dynamic range acceleration/vibration/pressure sensor patent September 2003
Novel ultrananocrystalline diamond probes for high-resolution low-wear nanolithographic techniques patent-application September 2007
Electronic device and electronic apparatus patent-application October 2002

Cited By (7)

Low-stress doped ultrananocrystalline diamond patent October 2016
Materials and methods for the preparation of nanocomposites patent January 2018
Piezoelectric actuator and method for producing a piezoelectric actuator patent August 2012
NEMS devices with series ferroelectric negative capacitor patent September 2017
Materials and methods for the preparation of nanocomposites patent November 2018
Integration of dissimilar materials for advanced multifunctional devices patent September 2010
Materials and methods for the preparation of nanocomposites patent May 2016

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