Charge injection on insulators via scanning probe microscopy techniques: towards data storage devices.
The idea of contact electrification aiming the development of nano-scale data storage devices has been explored through a careful investigation of charge injection on insulating films (SiO2 and PMMA) via scanning probe microscopy techniques. A complete route for data storage, showing simple and effective ways to write (inject the charge with an atomic force microscopy (AFM) tip), to read (detect the charge with electric force microscopy), to store (keep sample charge by changing ambient and surface conditions) and to erase the information (make the discharge process faster) is proposed and discussed. A detailed study of the influence of several parameters like AFM mode, bias voltage, relative humidity and surface hydrophobicity is also presented to optimize both charge injection and discharge processes. Results show that monitoring parameters such as ambient relative humidity and surface hydrophobic/hydrophilic character enable the control of pattern size, lateral dispersion, and storage time. The charge polarity is also dependent on the surface hydrophobicity and either positive or negative charges can become more appropriate for storage depending on the surface hydrophobic/hydrophilic character.
Laboratorio de Nanoscopia, Departamento de Física, UFMG, Avenida Antonio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil.
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