Arrangement and method to perform scanning readout of ferroelectric bit charges

Abstract

An arrangement, a method and a system to read information stored in a layer of ferroelectric media. The arrangement includes a layer including a ferroelectric media having one or more ferroelectric domains holding bit charges, a domain corresponding to information; a probe having a tip, wherein the media and the tip are adapted to move relative to one another such that the tip scans the ferroelectric domains of the media while applying a contact force to the domains to generate a direct piezoelectric effect within the domains; and circuitry coupled to the tip and adapted to generate a signal in response to an electrical coupling between the tip and the domains while scanning the tip in contact with the domains, the signal corresponding to a readout signal for ferroelectric bit charges stored in the media

1 . An arrangement to store information, comprising:
 a layer including a ferroelectric media having one or more ferroelectric domains holding bit charges, a domain corresponding to information;   a probe having a tip, wherein the media and the tip are adapted to move relative to one another such that the tip scans the ferroelectric domains of the media while applying a contact force to the domains to generate a direct piezoelectric effect within the domains;   circuitry coupled to the tip and adapted to generate a signal in response to an electrical coupling between the tip and the domains while scanning the tip in contact with the domains, the signal corresponding to a readout signal for ferroelectric bit charges stored in the media.   
     
     
         2 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the circuitry includes a charge amplifier device coupled to the tip, and wherein the signal is a voltage signal. 
     
     
         3 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the circuitry includes an electrical current detector coupled to the tip, and wherein the signal is a current signal. 
     
     
         4 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the tip includes a plurality of tips. 
     
     
         5 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the tip is adapted to apply a force to domains between about 1 nN and about 3 μN. 
     
     
         6 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the tip is adapted to apply contact forces of differing magnitudes. 
     
     
         7 . The arrangement of  claim 6 , wherein the tip is adapted to apply a modulated contact force to each of the domains. 
     
     
         8 . The arrangement of  claim 7 , further including a mechanical vibrator coupled to the tip and adapted to modulate the contact force on said each of the domains. 
     
     
         9 . The arrangement of  claim 7 , further including a lock-in amplifier coupled to the tip and adapted to pass signals at a force modulation frequency only. 
     
     
         10 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the tip is adapted to scan the ferroelectric domains at a plurality of scanning speeds. 
     
     
         11 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the tip is one of electrically conductive and semiconductive. 
     
     
         12 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the media and the tip are adapted to move relative to one another such that the tip scans the ferroelectric domains of the media while applying a first contact force to the domains, and scans intermediate regions of the media in between the domains while applying a second contact force to the intermediate regions, the second contact force being smaller than the first contact force. 
     
     
         13 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the media and the tip are adapted to move relative to one another such that a scanning speed of the tip on the domains is about 2.5 cm/s. 
     
     
         14 . A method of reading information stored in a layer of a ferroelectric media including ferroelectric domains having bit charges using a tip, the method comprising:
 scanning the tip over the domains while applying a contact force to the domains with the tip to generate a direct piezoelectric effect within the domains;   using circuitry coupled to the tip to generate a signal in response to an electrical coupling between the tip and the domains while scanning the tip in contact with the domains, the signal corresponding to a readout signal for ferroelectric bit charges stored in the domains.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein using includes using a charge amplifier device coupled to the tip, wherein the signal is a voltage signal. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein using includes using an electrical current detector coupled to the tip, wherein the signal is a current signal. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the ferroelectric media has a continuous surface including surfaces of the domains, and wherein scanning includes scanning across the continuous surface while applying a contact force continuously during scanning. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the tip includes a plurality of tips. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein applying a contact force includes applying a contact force to the domains between about 1 nN and 3 μN. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein applying a contact force includes applying contact forces of differing magnitudes to the domains. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein applying includes using to the tip to apply a modulated contact force to each of the domains. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein applying includes using a mechanical vibrator coupled to the tip to modulate the contact force on said each of the domains. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the circuitry includes a lock-in amplifier coupled to the tip and adapted to pass signals at a force modulation frequency only. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein scanning includes scanning the tip at a plurality of scanning speeds. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the tip is one of electrically conductive and semiconductive. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein scanning comprises scanning a surface of the media while applying a first contact force to the domains when scanning the domains and while applying a second contact force to intermediate regions of the media in between the domains when scanning the intermediate regions, the second contact force being smaller than the first contact force. 
     
     
         27 . A system comprising:
 an electronic assembly comprising:
 an arrangement to store information, comprising:
 a layer including a ferroelectric media having one or more ferroelectric domains holding bit charges, a domain corresponding to information; 
 a probe having a tip, wherein the media and the tip are adapted to move relative to one another such that the tip scans the ferroelectric domains of the media while applying a contact force to the domains to generate a direct piezoelectric effect within the domains; 
 circuitry coupled to the tip and adapted to generate a signal in response to an electrical coupling between the tip and the domains while scanning the tip in contact with the domains, the polarization signal corresponding to a readout signal for ferroelectric bit charges stored in the media; and 
 
   a graphics controller coupled to the electronic assembly.   
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the circuitry includes a charge amplifier device coupled to the tip, and wherein the signal is a voltage signal. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the circuitry includes an electrical current detector coupled to the tip, and wherein the signal is a current signal. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the tip is adapted to apply a modulated contact force to each of the domains.