Nanometer-scale Mechanical Processing of Muscovite Mica and Application to High-Density Memory

Abstract

Atomic scale mechanical processing of a layered crystal structure material, muscovite mica, was performed using an atomic force microscope (AFM). To realize high-density memory, the possibility of using tribo memory which is consistent with nanometer scale mechanical processing of multilayered crystal structure material was suggested, and the processing properties of muscovite mica were studied using the cubic boron nitride (cBN) coated tip of the AFM. (1)More precise processing can be performed using a cBN coated tip than Si tip. On the formation line and space, the interval pitch was minimized to 50nm using the cBN coated tip. (2)For a digital information memory, to realize multi valued memory at the same place, the dependence of processing properties on contact load and scanning cycles was evaluated. The depth of the processed grooves increased discretely with the load. The interface between K-SiO₄ and SiO₄-K was weakly bonded, therefore, removed depths of 0.7 and 1.0nm were predominant. (3)For an analog information memory, the dependence of processing properties on the sliding direction was evaluated, and then Chinese characters [_??__??__??_] and a famous comic actor feature were processed within areas of 300×750 and 500×500nm², respectively.