Active solid-state devices (e.g. – transistors – solid-state diode – Test or calibration structure
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-17
2004-09-07
Flynn, Nathan (Department: 2826)
Active solid-state devices (e.g., transistors, solid-state diode
Test or calibration structure
C257S662000, C257S663000, C257S661000, C257S421000, C505S191000, C505S235000, C505S110000, C505S700000, C505S781000, C505S705000, C505S831000, C505S832000, C505S833000, C505S836000, C505S838000, C505S839000, C505S840000, C360S055000, C360S131000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06787798
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates in general to information storage, and more particularly to a method and system for storing information using nano-pinned dipole magnetic vortices in superconducting materials.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The development of materials that superconduct at relatively high temperatures allows devices to exploit the properties of superconductivity using conventional coolants such as liquid nitrogen rather than requiring coolants that are more difficult to create and use, such as liquid helium. Applications using high-temperature superconductors continue to be developed, but only a small portion of the potential scope of superconductor applications has been explored. Furthermore, many of the properties of superconductors have yet to be studied, much less applied.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,079,219, entitled “Storing information-bearing signals in a superconductive environment using vortices as digital storage elements” and issued to Barnes, discloses information-bearing signals that are stored as vortices of electrical current in a superconducting material. However, this reference does not address production of sites for anchoring magnetic vortices in superconductive materials, control of the net magnetic flux of the superconductive material, use of superconducting materials with a non-crystalline or multiple domain structure, and reliable detection of the presence of magnetic vortices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Technical advantages of certain embodiments of the present invention include exploiting the magnetic properties of superconducting materials to provide high-density information storage. By using relatively small magnetic vortices within a superconducting material to store information, superconducting materials can provide an information storage density comparable to if not significantly greater than that of silicon-copper technology.
Other technical advantages of certain embodiments of the present invention make use of superconductors. This makes the magnetic properties of the superconducting material available using conventional coolants such as liquid nitrogen, therefore obviating the need for more complex cooling systems. Furthermore, as superconductors become available at higher temperatures, embodiments of the present invention may exploit those improvements as well.
In accordance with certain embodiments of the present invention, magnetic properties of a superconducting material are used to store information. In particular, pinning sites are created in the superconducting material. The pinning sites pin magnetic vortices within the superconducting material in close proximity to the pinning sites. The position of pinned magnetic vortices may be detected and interpreted as stored information.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a method includes providing a superconducting material having pinning sites that can pin magnetic vortices in the superconducting material. The method also includes pinning one or more magnetic vortices at one or more of the pinning sites. The locations of the pinned magnetic vortices may be interpreted as stored information.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, an information storage apparatus includes a superconducting material, defects such as doped atoms within the superconducting material, a magnetic tip and a magnetic detector. The doped particles can pin magnetic vortices within the superconducting material. The magnetic tip generates pinned magnetic vortices when positioned in sufficiently close proximity to the superconducting material. The magnetic detector detects any pinned vortices at any of the pinning sites.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4186441 (1980-01-01), Baechtold et al.
patent: 4575822 (1986-03-01), Quate
patent: 4764898 (1988-08-01), Miyahara et al.
patent: 5051787 (1991-09-01), Hasegawa
patent: 5079219 (1992-01-01), Barnes
patent: 5724336 (1998-03-01), Morton
patent: 5729046 (1998-03-01), Nishino et al.
patent: 5912210 (1999-06-01), Krusin-Elbaum et al.
patent: 6188920 (2001-02-01), Li et al.
patent: 6211673 (2001-04-01), Gerber et al.
patent: 6469880 (2002-10-01), Barabasi et al.
patent: 6504665 (2003-01-01), Mukasa et al.
NN9207373, Jul. 1992, IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin.*
NA82123380, Dec. 1982, IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin.*
B. Binnig, M. Despont, U. Drechsler, W. Häberle, M. Lutwyche, P. Vettiger, H.J. Mamin, B.W. Chui and T.W. Kenny (1999) Appl. Phys. Lett. 74, 1329-1331, Mar. 1, 1999.
Kambe, Guo, et al., 1998, “Effect of pressing and Li-doping on superconducting. . . ” J. of Supercon. Sci. Tech. v. 11, p. 1061, Feb. 2, 1998.
Majetich, S.A., and Jin, Y., (1999) “Magnetization Directions of Individual Nanoparticles” Science 284, pp. 470-473, Dec. 15, 1998.
A. Moser, H. J. Hug, I. Parashikov, B. Stiefel, O. Fritz, H. Thomas, A. Baratoff, H.-J. Güntherodt and P. Chaudhari (1995) “OBservation of Single Vortices Condensed into a Vortex-Glass Phase by Magnetic Force Microscopy,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 74 1947, Mar. 6, 1995.
S.L. Tomlinson, A. N. Farley, S. R. Hoon and M. S. Valera (1996) “Interactions between soft magnetic samples and MFM tips,” J. Magnetism and Magn. Mater. 157/158, pp. 557-558, 1996.
M. Yavuz, A. Ertekin, T. O'B'rien, P. McIntyre, R. Soika, K. D. D. Rathnayaka, D. G. Naugle, and T. Hartwig (2001). Solid Solubility of Bi-Pb-Sr-Ca-Mn-O in Bi-Pb-Sr-Ca-Mn-O Superconductors. IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity, vol. 11, No. 1, pp. 3446-3448, 2001.
M. Yavuz, P. McIntyre, R. Soika, D.G. Naugle, and H. Faqir (2000). “Effect of V-doping in Bi-Pb-Sr-Ca-Cu-O Superconductor Composites,” Physica C, vol. 341-348 (1-4), pp. 661-662, Mar. 2001.
C. W. Yuan, Z. Zheng, A. L. de Lozanne, M. Tortonese, D. A. Rudman, and J. N. Eckstein (1996) “Vortex images in thin films of YBa2Cu3O7−x and Bi2Sr2Ca1Cu2O8+x obtained by low-temperature magnetic force microscopy,” J. Vac. Sci. Tech B 14, 1210-1213, Mar./ Apr. 1996.
Andrews Malcolm J.
Beskok Ali
Hartwig, Jr. Karl T.
Ross, Jr. Joseph H.
Slattery John C.
Baker & Botts L.L.P.
Erdem Fazli
Flynn Nathan
The Texas A&M University System
LandOfFree
Method and system for storing information using nano-pinned... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method and system for storing information using nano-pinned..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and system for storing information using nano-pinned... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3196936