Method and apparatus for storing and reading information in a ferroelectric material

1. A method for storing information in a ferroelectric material, comprising:

providing a ferroelectric material having a surface, the ferroelectric material arranged on at least one electrode, and the electrode having a bias applied thereto continuously at least during storage of information; and

passing a sample probe over the surface of the ferroelectric material, within a distance of the surface of the ferroelectric material to perform a mechanical action on the ferroelectric material, to cause a change of polarization in individual regions of the ferroelectric material to store infonnation.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the ferroelectric material has individual domains which represent the individual regions, the change of polarization in the individual domains being effected by the sample probe.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the mechanical action is performed by a tip of the sample probe.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the tip acts on the surface of the ferroelectric material in contact mode or tapping mode.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the ferroelectric material has a perovskite, spinel or related crystal structure.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the ferroelectric material is doped or undoped SBT or PZT layers.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the ferroelectric material covers a plurality of electrodes, with each electrode defining a block of individual regions of the ferroelectric material, and the information being stored in blocks.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the stored information is erased by removing the bias from the at least one electrode.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein prior to the storage of information the stored information is erased.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the stored information is erased in blocks.

11. A method for reading information which has been stored in a ferroelectric material, comprising:

providing an apparatus that comprises the ferroelectric material having a surface with a relief which represents stored information, at least one sample probe for writing information into the ferroelectric material and configured to be passed over the surface of the ferroelectric material, the sample probe for writing information configured to perform a change of polarization in individual regions of the ferroelectric material mechanically to write the information, and at least one sample probe for reading information from the ferroelectric material;

passing the sample probe for reading information over the surface of the ferroelectric material to determine the relief of the surface of the ferroelectric material; and

deriving the stored information from the relief of the surface of the ferroelectric material.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the relief of the surface of the ferroelectric material is determined by the polarization of individual regions of the ferroelectric material.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the relief of the surface of the ferroelectric material is determined by a tip of the sample probe.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the tip is passed over the surface of the ferroelectric material in tapping mode, contact mode or noncontact mode to determine the relief of the ferroclectric material.

15. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the tip of the sample probe is an AFM tip.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the AFM tip is a plasma-sharpened silicon tip, a carbon tip deposited in the electrode beam or a carbon nanotube tip.

17. An apparatus for storing and reading information in a ferroelectric material, comprising:

a ferroelectric material having a surface, the ferroelectric material covering at least one electrode which has a bias applied thereto;

at least one sample probe for writing information into the ferroelectric material, configured to be passed over the surface of the ferroelectric material, the sample probe used to perform a change of polarization in individual regions of the ferroelectric material mechanically to write the information;

at least one sample probe for reading information from the ferroelectric material, configured to be passed over the surface of the ferroelectric material, a relief of the surface of the ferroelectric material created to read the information; and

an evaluation unit which derives the stored information from the relief of the surface of the ferroelectric material.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the sample probe has a plasma-sharpened silicon tip, a carbon tip deposited in the electrode beam or a carbon nanotip which is used to write and/or read the information.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the ferroelectric material has a perovskite, spinel or related crystal structure.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 19 , wherein the ferroelectric material is doped or undoped SBT or PZT layers.

21. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the ferroelectric material covers a plurality of electrodes, with each electrode defining a block of individual regions of the ferroelectric material, and the individual electrodes each having a bias applied to them independently of one another.