Systems for writing and reading highly resolved domains for high density data storage

Abstract

Systems in accordance with the present invention can be include, in an embodiment, one or more tips and a media comprising an over-layer, an under-layer, and a phase change material disposed between the over-layer and under-layer. Portions of the phase change media which can be altered to have a resistance different from a resistance of the bulk material, thereby forming highly resolved bits. A distal end of the tip can have a substantially large radius of curvature relative to a width of the resolved portion. Other objects, aspects and advantages of the invention can be obtained from reviewing the figures, specification and claims. This description is not intended to be a complete description of, or limit the scope of, the invention.

1 . A data storage device, comprising: 
 a media, including: 
 a conductive under-layer;  
 an over-layer; and  
 a phase change layer disposed between the conductive under-layer and the over-layer;  
   a tip positioned in proximity to the media such that a current can flow between the tip and the media;    a circuit adapted to apply a current between the tip and the media so that a portion of the phase change layer is heated to a threshold temperature;    wherein the circuit and over-layer are adapted to focus the current so that the portion is narrower in width than the tip.    
     
     
         2 . The data storage device of  claim 1 , wherein the circuit includes a bypass to direct the current to an electrical path not including the phase change layer so that information forms in the portion.  
     
     
         3 . The data storage device of  claim 1 , wherein the over-layer is a conductive material that conducts better through the over-layer than across the over-layer.  
     
     
         4 . The data storage device of  claim 1 , wherein the over-layer is a conductive material that has a higher conductivity along a plane substantially perpendicular to a surface of the media than along a plane substantially parallel to a surface of the media.  
     
     
         5 . The data storage device of  claim 1 , wherein the over-layer is an anisotropic columnar material.  
     
     
         6 . The data storage device of  claim 1 , wherein the over-layer is one of titanium nitride and microcrystalline silicon.  
     
     
         7 . The data storage device of  claim 1 , wherein the phase change layer has one of a crystalline and amorphous structure, the phase change layer having a bulk resistivity.  
     
     
         8 . The data storage device of  claim 7 , wherein the phase change layer is a chalcogenide.  
     
     
         9 . The data storage device of  claim 1 , wherein the circuit is adapted to apply a current between the tip and the media by applying a first voltage potential across the tip and the media.  
     
     
         10 . The data storage device of  claim 9 , wherein the first voltage potential is applied as a waveform.  
     
     
         11 . The data storage device of  claim 10 , wherein the waveform is one of a pulse, a triangle, a saw-tooth, and a trailing edge.  
     
     
         12 . The data storage device of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the tip includes a radius of curvature; and    to focus the current, the circuit:    applies the current so that a portion of the current flowing between the tip and the media decreases as the radius of curvature curves away from the media; and    allows the current to be at least partially confined by the over-layer so that a flow of the current is substantially columnar.    
     
     
         13 . A data storage device, comprising: 
 a media, including: 
 a conductive under-layer;  
 an over-layer; and  
 a phase change layer disposed between the conductive under-layer and the over-layer;  
   a tip;    a computer readable media having instruction to perform the steps of: 
 positioning the tip in proximity to the media such that a current can flow between the tip and the media;  
 applying the current between the tip and the media so that a portion of the phase change layer is heated to a threshold temperature;  
 removing the current from between the tip and the media so that information is formed within the portion;  
   wherein the current is focused by one or both of the over-layer and the computer readable medium so that the portion is narrower than a width of the tip.    
     
     
         14 . The data storage device of  claim 13 , wherein: 
 the tip includes a radius of curvature; and    the computer readable medium can focus the current by limiting a magnitude of the current so that a portion of the current flowing between the tip and the media decreases as the radius of curvature curves away from the media.    
     
     
         15 . The data storage device of  claim 14 , wherein the over-layer is a conductive material that conducts better through the over-layer than across the over-layer.  
     
     
         16 . The data storage device of  claim 14 , wherein the over-layer is a conductive material that has a higher conductivity along a plane substantially perpendicular to a surface of the media than along a plane substantially parallel to a surface of the media.  
     
     
         17 . The data storage device of  claim 14 , wherein the over-layer is an anisotropic columnar material.  
     
     
         18 . The data storage device of  claim 17 , wherein the over-layer is one of titanium nitride and microcrystalline silicon.  
     
     
         19 . The data storage device of  claim 18 , wherein the phase change layer has one of a crystalline and amorphous structure, the phase change layer having a bulk resistivity.  
     
     
         20 . The data storage device of  claim 19 , wherein the phase change layer is a chalcogenide.  
     
     
         21 . The data storage device of  claim 14 , wherein applying a current between the tip and the media includes applying a voltage potential across the tip and the media.  
     
     
         22 . The data storage device of  claim 21 , wherein the voltage potential is applied as a waveform.  
     
     
         23 . The data storage device of  claim 22 , wherein the waveform is one of a pulse, a triangle, a saw-tooth, and a trailing edge.  
     
     
         24 . A memory apparatus, comprising: 
 a moveable media including: 
 a moveable media platform, and  
 a plurality of media devices connected with the moveable media platform, at least one of the media devices having a conductive under-layer, an over-layer, and a phase change layer disposed between the under-layer and the over-layer;  
   a moveable read/write mechanism, including: 
 a moveable read/write platform; and  
 a plurality of tips connected with said moveable read/write platform;  
   a media movement mechanism operably attached to said moveable media and configured to move said media platform in response to media control signals; and    a read/write platform movement mechanism operably attached to said read/write platform and configured to move said read/write platform in response to read/write platform control signals; and    a computer readable media having instruction to perform the steps of: 
 positioning the at least one tip in proximity to the at least one media such that a current can flow between the at least one tip and the at least one media;  
 applying the current between the at least one tip and the at least one media so that a portion of the phase change layer is heated to a threshold temperature;  
 removing the current from between the at least one tip and the at least one media so that information is formed within the portion;  
   wherein the current is focused by one or both of the over-layer and the computer readable medium.    
     
     
         25  The memory apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein: 
 the at least one tip includes a radius of curvature; and    the computer readable medium can focus the current by limiting a magnitude of the current so that a portion of the current flowing between the tip and the media decreases as the radius of curvature curves away from the media.    
     
     
         26 . The memory apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the over-layer is a conductive material that conducts better through the over-layer than across the over-layer.  
     
     
         27 . The memory apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the over-layer is a conductive material that has a higher conductivity along a plane substantially perpendicular to a surface of the media than along a plane substantially parallel to a surface of the media.  
     
     
         28 . The memory apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the over-layer is an anisotropic columnar material.  
     
     
         29 . The memory apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the over-layer is one of titanium nitride and microcrystalline silicon.  
     
     
         30 . The memory apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the phase change layer is a chalcogenide.  
     
     
         31 . The memory apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein applying a current between the tip and the media includes applying a voltage potential across the tip and the media.  
     
     
         32 . The memory apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the voltage potential is applied as a waveform.  
     
     
         33 . The memory apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein the waveform is one of a pulse, a triangle, a saw-tooth, and a trailing edge.  
     
     
         34 . A data storage device, comprising: 
 a media, including: 
 a quench layer;  
 a tunneling layer; and  
 a phase change layer disposed between the quench layer and the tunneling layer;  
   a tip positioned in proximity to the media such that a current can flow between the tip and the media;    a circuit adapted to apply a current between the tip and the media so that a portion of the phase change layer is heated to a threshold temperature;    wherein the circuit and over-layer are adapted to focus the current so that the portion is narrower in width than the tip; and    wherein the circuit includes a bypass to direct the current to an electrical path not including the phase change layer so that information forms in the portion.    
     
     
         35 . The data storage device of  claim 34 , wherein the tunneling layer is a conductive material that conducts better through the tunneling layer than across the tunneling layer.  
     
     
         36 . The data storage device of  claim 34 , wherein the tunneling layer is one of titanium nitride and microcrystalline silicon.  
     
     
         37 . The data storage device of  claim 34 , wherein the phase change layer has one of a crystalline and amorphous structure, the phase change layer having a bulk resistivity.  
     
     
         38 . The data storage device of  claim 37 , wherein the phase change layer is a chalcogenide.  
     
     
         39 . The data storage device of  claim 34 , wherein the circuit is adapted to apply a current between the tip and the media by applying a first voltage potential across the tip and the media.  
     
     
         40 . The data storage device of  claim 39 , wherein the first voltage potential is applied as a waveform.  
     
     
         41 . The data storage device of  claim 40 , wherein the waveform is one of a pulse, a triangle, a saw-tooth, and a trailing edge.  
     
     
         42 . A data storage device including a media having a phase change layer and a tip including a radius of curvature and positioned in proximity to the media such that a current can flow between the tip and the media, the current being adapted to heat a portion of the phase change layer to a threshold temperature, the improvement comprising: 
 an over-layer disposed between the tip and the phase change layer, the over-layer being adapted to focus the current so that the portion is narrower in width than the tip.    
     
     
         43 . A data storage device, comprising: 
 a media including an over-layer and a phase change layer;    a tip being positioned in proximity to the media such that a current can flow between the tip and the media; and    a circuit adapted to apply a current between the tip and the media so that a portion of the phase change layer is heated to at least a threshold temperature;    wherein the circuit includes a mechanism to direct the current along an electrical path not including the phase change layer so that an indicia forms in the portion.    
     
     
         44 . The data storage device of  claim 43 , wherein the over-layer is a conductive material that conducts better through the over-layer than across the over-layer.  
     
     
         45 . The data storage device of  claim 43 , wherein the over-layer is a conductive material that has a higher conductivity along a plane substantially perpendicular to a surface of the media than along a plane substantially parallel to a surface of the media.  
     
     
         46 . The data storage device of  claim 43 , wherein the over-layer is an anisotropic columnar material.  
     
     
         47 . The data storage device of  claim 46 , wherein the over-layer is titanium nitride.  
     
     
         48 . The data storage device of  claim 46 , wherein the over-layer is microcrystalline silicon.  
     
     
         49 . The data storage device of  claim 43 , wherein: 
 the phase change layer has a crystalline structure; and    the bit has an amorphous structure.    
     
     
         50 . The data storage device of  claim 43 , wherein: 
 the phase change layer has an amorphous structure; and    the bit has a crystalline structure.    
     
     
         51 . The data storage device of  claim 50 , wherein the phase change layer is a chalcogenide.  
     
     
         52 . The data storage device of  claim 43 , wherein the circuit is adapted to apply a first current between the tip and the media by applying a first voltage potential across the tip and the media.  
     
     
         53 . The data storage device of  claim 52 , wherein the first voltage potential is applied as a waveform.  
     
     
         54 . The data storage device of  claim 53 , wherein the waveform is one of a pulse, a triangle, a saw-tooth, and a trailing edge.  
     
     
         55 . A data storage device, comprising: 
 a media including an over-layer and a phase change layer;    wherein the over-layer is a conductive material that conducts better through the over-layer than across the over-layer;    a tip being positioned in proximity to the media such that a current can flow between the tip and the media; and    a circuit adapted to apply a current between the tip and the media so that a portion of the phase change layer is heated to at least a threshold temperature.    
     
     
         56 . A data storage device, comprising: 
 a media including an over-layer and a phase change layer;    wherein the over-layer is a conductive material that has a higher conductivity along a plane substantially perpendicular to a surface of the media than along a plane substantially parallel to a surface of the media;    a tip being positioned in proximity to the media such that a current can flow between the tip and the media; and    a circuit adapted to apply a current between the tip and the media so that a portion of the phase change layer is heated to at least a threshold temperature.    
     
     
         57 . A data storage device, comprising: 
 a media including an over-layer and a phase change layer;    wherein the over-layer is an anisotropic columnar material;    a tip being positioned in proximity to the media such that a current can flow between the tip and the media; and    a circuit adapted to apply a current between the tip and the media so that a portion of the phase change layer is heated to at least a threshold temperature.    
     
     
         58 . A data storage device including a media having a phase change layer and a tip positioned in proximity to the media such that a current can flow between the tip and the media, the current being adapted to heat a portion of the phase change layer to a threshold temperature, the improvement comprising: 
 an over-layer disposed between the tip and the phase change layer, the over-layer being adapted to focus the current;    wherein the over-layer is a conductive material that conducts better through the over-layer than across the over-layer.    
     
     
         59 . A data storage device including a media having a phase change layer and a tip positioned in proximity to the media such that a current can flow between the tip and the media, the current being adapted to heat a portion of the phase change layer to a threshold temperature, the improvement comprising: 
 an over-layer disposed between the tip and the phase change layer, the over-layer being adapted to focus the current;    wherein the over-layer is a conductive material that has a higher conductivity along a plane substantially perpendicular to a surface of the media than along a plane substantially parallel to a surface of the media.    
     
     
         60 . A data storage device including a media having a phase change layer and a tip positioned in proximity to the media such that a current can flow between the tip and the media, the current being adapted to heat a portion of the phase change layer to a threshold temperature, the improvement comprising: 
 a circuit adapted to apply a current between the tip and the media so that a portion of the phase change layer is heated to at least a threshold temperature;    wherein the circuit includes a mechanism to direct the current along an electrical path not including the phase change layer so that an indicia forms in the portion.    
     
     
         61 . The memory apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein focusing the current includes: 
 applying the current so that a portion of the current flowing between the tip and the media decreases as the radius of curvature curves away from the media; and    allowing the current to be at least partially confined by the over-layer so that a flow of the current is substantially columnar.