Ultra high density storage media and method thereof

Static information storage and retrieval – Systems using particular element – Molecular or atomic

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C365S106000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06236589

ABSTRACT:

RELATED APPLICATIONS
U.S. application Ser. No. 08/960,694, entitled “MICRO GONIOMETER FOR SCANNING PROBE MICROSCOPY,” filed on even date herewith for Ravi Saraf and Arunava Gupta is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The field of art to which this invention relates is ultra high density disk storage. Specifically, this invention relates to a method for writing data to a material by manipulating long chain molecules on the material's surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the advent of scanning tunneling microscopes (STM) in the early 1980's, several methods have been developed to use the small scale processing capability of the STM for high density data storage. In these methods, atoms are manipulated to form bumps on a media surface, the bump forms a bit of information which is represented in a base two (binary) format (i.e., as a 1 or a 0). An example of such a use is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,625 to Clark et al. Although these methods have their advantages, such as high storage density, they are plagued by several disadvantages.
The main disadvantage of STM data storage is that the speed of writing and replication is prohibitively slow. Conventional magnetic and CD-ROM recording rates are approximately 10
8
and 1.5×10
6
bits/second respectively, while STM atom writing is less than 1 bit/second.
Additionally, writing at the atomic level is usually performed at very cold temperatures and in a vacuum. The equipment used to perform atomic scale writing is therefore very sophisticated and expensive. There are also disadvantages in reading the information written at the atomic level. Atomic scale resolution of the media surface is necessary to read the data. This also requires sophisticated and expensive equipment.
Lastly, the scanning probe processes of the prior art need to write onto single crystal surfaces. Materials of this type are expensive and greatly limit the process by requiring materials of this class.
For the above reasons, there is a need in the art for a high density method of writing to the surface of a material which does not suffer from the drawbacks associated with manipulation of atoms on that surface.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for ultra high density media storage which can be performed at rates comparable with those associated with conventional magnetic and CD-ROM recording rates.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for ultra high density media storage in which writing to the media is performed at room temperature and atmospheric pressure.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method for ultra high density media storage in which reading of the data is accomplished with conventional inexpensive equipment.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method for writing to a substrate surface with a scanning probe microscope in greater than base two writing.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method for ultra high density media storage in which inexpensive substrate materials are used.
Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide a method for ultra high density media storage in which surface features are created where the shape of the feature is controlled. Accordingly, a storage media for storing information is disclosed. The storage media comprises a substrate having a material with a molecular weight greater than 5,000 on its upper surface, preferably the material is a polymer. The material has a plurality of piles of molecular chains in selected areas formed by pushing molecular chains of the polymer on the surface to the selected area mechanically with a mechanical tool whereby information is written therein. The mechanical tool is preferably an atomic force microscope (AFM).
Also disclosed is a molecular bar-code comprising a substrate having a material with a molecular weight greater than 5,000 on its upper surface. The material has a plurality of piles of molecular chains in selected areas forming a series of parallel lines. The piles are formed by pushing molecular chains of the material on the surface to the selected areas with a mechanical tool whereby information is written on the substrate.
Another aspect of the present invention are methods for storing information comprising the steps of selecting a material substrate having an upper surface and pushing long chain molecules on said upper surface into a molecular pile at selected locations.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4981743 (1991-01-01), Ho
patent: 5301145 (1994-04-01), Inoue et al.
patent: 5557596 (1996-09-01), Gibson et al.

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