Microcantilevers integrated with heaters and piezoelectric detectors for nano data-storage application

Abstract

A thermomechanical writing system and a piezoelectric readback system have been demonstrated using silicon cantilevers integrated with heaters and piezoelectric sensors for a low-power scanning-probe-microscopy data-storage system. A thin polymethylmethacrylate film has been used as a media to record data bits of 50 nm in diameter and 25 nm in depth using the silicon cantilever. The sensitivity of 0.22 fC/nm was also obtained using the fabricated cantilever. Finally, to obtain readback signals using the piezoelectric cantilever, a patterned oxide wafer with 30 nm depth was scanned to show the distinctive charge signals.