Data storage device
View Patent ↗The present disclosure relates to a data storage device, comprising a plurality of electron emitters adapted to emit electron beams, the electron emitters each having a planar emission surface, and a storage medium in proximity to the electron emitter, the storage medium having a plurality of storage areas that are capable of at least two distinct states that represent data, the state of the storage areas being changeable in response to bombardment by electron beams emitted by the electron emitters.
1. A data storage device, comprising:
an electron emitter, the electron emitter including a substrate and a semiconductor layer provided on the substrate, the semiconductor layer comprising a planar outer surface that includes a planar emission surface, wherein the electron emitter is configured to emit electrons from the planar emission surface.
2. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises an n++ semiconductor substrate.
3. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the substrate includes a funnel-like active region that is surrounded by an isolation region.
4. The storage device of claim 3 , wherein the funnel-like active region comprises a neck that is aligned with the planar emission surface.
5. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor layer is made of polysilicon or silicon carbide.
6. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor layer comprises a porous region that is aligned with the planar emission surface.
7. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the planar emission surface occupies an area that comprises a small fraction of the total area of the semiconductor layer planar outer surface.
8. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the planar emission surface occupies an area that represents approximately less than 10% of the total area of the semiconductor layer planar outer surface.
9. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the electron emitter further includes a conductive layer formed on the planar emission surface.
10. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the electron emitter further includes a focusing structure that focuses electron beams emitted from the planar emission surface.
11. The storage device of claim 10 , wherein the focusing structure comprises an insulating layer, a lens electrode, and a conductive layer.
12. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the electron emitter further includes an insulating layer provided on the semiconductor layer.
13. The storage device of claim 12 , wherein the electron emitter further includes a patterning mask provided on the insulating layer.
14. A data storage device comprising:
an electron emitter, the electron emitter including a substrate and an insulator layer provided on the substrate, the insulator layer comprising a planar outer surface that includes a planar emission surface, wherein the electron emitter is configured to emit electrons from the planar emission surface.
15. The storage device of claim 14 , wherein the substrate includes a funnel-like active region that is surrounded by an isolation region.
16. The storage device of claim 15 , wherein the funnel-like active region comprises a neck that is aligned with the planar emission surface.
17. The storage device of claim 14 , wherein the semiconductor layer comprises a thin metal layer that forms part of a metal-insulator-metal (MM) arrangement and that is aligned with the planar emission surface.
18. The storage device of claim 14 , wherein the substrate is made of silicon and forms part of a metal-insulator-silicon (MIS) arrangement.
19. The storage device of claim 14 , wherein the planar emission surface occupies an area that comprises a small fraction of the total area of the insulator layer planar outer surface.
20. The storage device of claim 14 , wherein the planar emission surface occupies an area that represents approximately less than 10% of the total area of the insulator layer planar outer surface.
21. The storage device of claim 14 , wherein the electron emitter further includes a conductive layer formed on the planar emission surface.
22. The storage device of claim 14 , wherein the electron emitter further includes a focusing structure that focuses electron beams emitted from the electron emitter.
23. An electron emitter for use in a data storage device, the electron emitter comprising:
a substrate; and
a semiconductor layer provided on the substrate, the semiconductor layer comprising a planar outer surface that includes a planar emission surface;
wherein the electron emitter is configured to emit electrons from the planar emission surface within the data storage device.
24. The electron emitter of claim 23 , wherein the substrate comprises an n++semiconductor substrate.
25. The electron emitter of claim 23 , wherein the substrate includes a funnel-like active region that is surrounded by an isolation region.
26. The electron emitter of claim 25 , wherein the funnel-like active region comprises a neck that is aligned with the planar emission surface.
27. The electron emitter of claim 23 , wherein the semiconductor layer is made of polysilicon or silicon carbide.
28. The electron emitter of claim 23 , wherein the semiconductor layer comprises a porous region that is aligned with the planar emission surface.
29. The electron emitter of claim 23 , wherein the planar emission surface occupies an area that comprises a small fraction of the total area of the semiconductor layer planar outer surface.
30. The electron emitter of claim 23 , wherein the planar emission surface occupies an area that represents approximately less than 10% of the total area of the semiconductor layer planar outer surface.
31. The electron emitter of claim 23 , wherein the electron emitter further includes a conductive layer formed on the planar emission surface.
32. The electron emitter of claim 23 , wherein the electron emitter further includes a focusing structure that focuses electron beams emitted from the planar emission surface.
33. The electron emitter of claim 32 , wherein the focusing structure comprises an insulating layer, a lens electrode, and a conductive layer.
34. The electron emitter of claim 23 , wherein the electron emitter further includes an insulating layer provided on the semiconductor layer.
35. The electron emitter of claim 34 , wherein the electron emitter further includes a patterning mask provided on the insulating layer.
36. An electron emitter for use in a data storage device, the electron emitter comprising:
a substrate; and
an insulator layer provided on the substrate, the insulator layer comprising a planar outer surface that includes a planar emission surface;
wherein the electron emitter is configured to emit electrons from the planar emission surface within the data storage device.
37. The electron emitter of claim 36 , wherein the substrate includes a funnel-like active region that is surrounded by an isolation region.
38. The electron emitter of claim 37 , wherein the funnel-like active region comprises a neck that is aligned with the planar emission surface.
39. The electron emitter of claim 36 , wherein the semiconductor layer comprises a thin metal layer that forms part of a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) arrangement and that is aligned with the planar emission surface.
40. The electron emitter of claim 36 , wherein the substrate is made of silicon and forms part of a metal-insulator-silicon (MIS) arrangement.
41. The electron emitter of claim 36 , wherein the planar emission surface occupies an area that comprises a small fraction of the total area of the insulator layer planar outer surface.
42. The electron emitter of claim 36 , wherein the planar emission surface occupies an area that represents approximately less than 10% of the total area of the insulator layer planar outer surface.
43. The electron emitter of claim 36 , further comprising a conductive layer formed on the planar emission surface.
44. The electron emitter of claim 36 , further comprising a focusing structure that focuses electron beams emitted from the planar emission surface.