Content

 Millipede memory Introduction.

 The Millipede concept.
 Reading and Writing data.
 Stored bits.
 Cantilever Structure.
 Usage Scenarios
 Modern disk Storage
 Current state of the art
 Future challenges
 Conclusion
 What is millipede ?
 Millipede is a non-volatile  computer memory  stored
on nanoscopic pits burned into the surface of a thin
polymer layer, read and written by a MEMS-based
probe.
 Millipede storage technology is being pursued as
a potential replacement for magnetic recording in
hard drives, at the same time reducing the form-
factor to that of Flash media. At launch, it would
probably be more expensive per-megabyte than
prevailing technologies, but this disadvantage is
hoped to be offset by the sheer storage capacity that
Millipede technology would offer.
 How it is ?
 Using an innovative nanotechnology, scientists have
demonstrated a data storage density of a trillion bits per
square inch -- 20 times higher than the densest
magnetic storage available today.
 Rather than using traditional magnetic or electronic
means to store data, Millipede uses thousands of nano-
sharp tips to punch indentations representing individual
bits into a thin plastic film.
 The 'Millipede' technology is re-writeable (meaning it
can be used over and over again), and may be able to
store more than 3 billion bits of data in the space
occupied by just one hole in a standard punch card.
 Need of Millipede ?
 Flash memory is not expected to surpass 1-2 gigabytes of
capacity in the near term, Millipede technology could pack 10 -
15 gigabytes of data into the same tiny format, without
requiring more power for device operation.

 "The Millipede project could bring tremendous data capacity to

mobile devices such as personal digital assistants, cellular
phones, and multifunctional watches,“

 Using revolutionary nanotechnology, scientists have made it to

the millionths of a millimeter range, achieving data storage
densities of more than one terabit (1000 gigabit) per square
inch, equivalent to storing the content of 25 DVDs on an area
the size of a postage stamp.
 The Millipede concept
 The main memory of modern computers is constructed from number
of DRAM-related devices. DRAM basically consists of a series
of capacitors, which store data as the presence or absence of electrical
charge. Each capacitor and its associated control circuitry, referred to
as a cell, holds one bit, and bits can be read or written in large blocks
at the same time.

 Hard drives store data on a metal disk that is covered with a magnetic
material; data is represented as local magnetization of this material.

 Millipede storage attempts to combine the best features of both. Like

the hard drive, millipede stores data in a "dumb" medium that is
simpler and smaller than any cell used in an electronic medium.
Animated View of Millipede
Writing data
 Bits are written by heating a
resistor built into the
cantilever to a temperature of
400 degrees Celsius.
 The hot tip softens the
polymer and briefly sinks into
it,&
 generating an indentation.
 Reading Data

 For reading, the resistor is operated at

lower temperature, typically 300
degrees Celsius, which does not soften
the polymer.
 When the tip drops into an indentation,
the resistor is cooled by the resulting
better heat transport, and a measurable
change in resistance occurs.
 Overwriting Data
 To over-write data, the tip makes a
series of offset pits that overlap so
closely their edges fill in the old pits,
effectively erasing the unwanted data.

 The write or overwrite cycles are limited

to 1,00,000 cycles.
Stored bits
 Fig. shows that more
than 80 percent of the
1,024 cantilevers of an
experimental setup
were able to write data
(12 storage areas at
right).
Stored bits
 The close-ups (center) present 40
nm (nanometers) wide indentations
at a "pitch" (distance between
centers of neighboring indentations)
of 120 nm (left) and 40 nm (right),
pitch. 
 The latter leading to areal density of
ca. 400 GB per square inch. The
same magnification factor has been
applied to the image at the bottom,
which demonstrates the potential
for Terabit-per-square-inch density
with 10-nm-diameter marks at a 20-
nm
 What is a Cantilever ?
 The core components of probe storage system are a
two-dimensional array of silicon probes (cantilevers)
and a micro-mechanical scanner which moves the
storage medium relative to the array.
 For the device to perform its reading, writing and
erasing functions, the cantilever tips are brought into
contact with the storage medium — a thin film of a
custom designed cross-linked polymer coated on a
silicon substrate, which is moved in the x- and y-
directions. The storage medium is positioned with
nanometer-scale accuracy relative to the cantilever
array.
 How Cantilevers are
manufactured ?
 Our most recent array design consists of an array of 64 × 64
cantilevers (4096) on a 100 µm pitch.

 The 6.4 × 6.4 mm² array is fabricated on a 10 × 10 mm² silicon chip

using a newly developed "transfer and join" technology that allows the
direct interconnection of the cantilevers with CMOS electronics .

 With this technology the cantilevers and CMOS electronics are

fabricated on two separate wafers, allowing the processes used in the
fabrication to be independently optimized.

 Using a few additional processes steps, the cantilevers are transferred

onto the CMOS wafer, using a soldering process that provides a
mechanical and electrical interconnect to the CMOS wafer.
 About used Cantilevers
 The cantilevers used in the array are of a three-
terminal design, with separate heaters for reading
and writing, and a capacitive platform for
electrostatic actuation of the cantilevers in the z-
direction.
 The cantilevers are approximately 70 µm long, with a
500-700 nm long tip integrated directly above the
write heater. The apex of each tip has a radius on
the scale of a few nanometers allowing data to be
written at extremely high densities (greater than
1 Tb/in²).
Zoom to a section of the Millipede
cantilever array as seen in an optical
microscope. 
  About Microscanner
 Movement of the storage medium relative to the cantilever array is achieved
using a silicon-based x/y microscanner.
 The scanner consists of a 6.8 × 6.8 mm² scan table, which carries the polymer
medium, and a pair of electromagnetic actuators. Both the scan table and the
actuators are supported by silicon springs that are 10–12 µm wide and
approximately 400 µm thick. The scan table, spring system, and actuator frames
are fabricated on a silicon wafer using a deep trench etching process.
 The scanner chip is mounted on a silicon base plate, which acts as the
mechanical ground of the system and provides a clearance of approximately 20
µm between its top surface and the bottom surface of the moving parts of the
scanner.
 The scan table can be displaced approximately 120 µm in two orthogonal
directions (x and y) using the two electromagnetic actuators. Each actuator
consists of a pair of permanent magnets mounted in a silicon frame, with a
miniature coil mounted between them on the base plate.
 The actuator motion is coupled to the scan table using a pivot and a mass-
balancing scheme, which makes the system robust against external vibrations
and shock.
A Microscanner.
 Position sensing
 Positioning information for the closed-loop operation of the
scanner is provided by two pairs of thermal position sensors.
These sensors are fabricated on the cantilever-array chip and
positioned directly above the scan table. The sensors consist of
thermally isolated, resistive strip heaters made of moderately
doped silicon. Each sensor is positioned above an edge of the
scan table and heated by applying a current. A fraction of this
heat is conducted through the ambient air into the scan table,
which acts as a heat sink. Displacement of the scan table gives
rise to a change in the efficiency of this cooling mechanism,
resulting in a change in the temperature of the heater and thus
a change in its electrical resistance. These sensors provide an
effectively linear position signal over the entire 120 µm range of
the scanner, with a resolution of less than 2 nm in a 10 kHz
bandwidth.
Position Sensor Fig.1
Position Sensor Fig.2
Recording technology
 In addition to exploring novel methods for writing, reading and
erasing data in thermomechanical probe recording, research is
pursued in the areas of coding, signal processing and read
channel design. In this context, it has been determined that a
limiting factor in the areal density that can potentially be
reached in thermomechanical probe storage is the intrinsic
nonlinear interaction between closely packed indentations.
 Upon this realization, the storage capacity can be increased by
applying (d, k)-constrained codes, similar to the ones used in
optical disc recording. The d-constraint in particular is
instrumental in limiting the interference between successive
indentations as well as in increasing the effective areal density
of the storage device.
 Recording
 Continuous advancements on probe-tip fabrication,
storage medium design, and improvements on the
writing process and on the read channel design has
lead to the repeated realization of storage of large
amounts of data at densities higher than 1.0 Tb/in²
and reliable retrieval of the data at raw error rates
better than 1E-4. At these error-rate levels,
conventional error-correcting codes (ECC) can
successfully correct all errors, & there will be no loss
of user data.
       Scanned image of bits recorded and retrieved at an areal
density of 1.008 Tb/in², the error rate was less than 1E-4.
Signal recorded at the output of the discrete
component AFE while scanning a line of bits at
1.008 Tb/in².
 Usage Scenarios
 Micro Drives
Millipede systems can be used for micro drives,
which will feature very small form factor, enabling use in small
footprint devices like watches, mobile phones and personal
media systems, and at the same time provide high capacity.
The very high data density of millipede systems makes them a
very good candidate to be put to this use.

 High-capacity hard drives

The Millipede system provides high data density,
low seek times, low power consumption and, probably, high
reliability. These features make them candidates for building
high capacity hard drives, with storage capacity in the range of
terabytes. Although the data density of a Millipede is high, the
capacity of an individual device is expected to be relatively low
-- on the order of single gigabytes.
Modern disk Storage
 IBM 350
The IBM 350 was part of
the IBM RAMAC 305, the computer
that introduced disk storage
technology to the world. IBM
introduced the IBM 350 storage unit
on September, 1956 before unveiling
the entire RAMAC 305 computer nine
days later on September. RAMAC
stood for "Random Access Method of
Accounting and Control."
Modern disk Storage
 IBM 353
The IBM 353 used on
the IBM 7030, was similar to
the IBM 1302, but with a
faster transfer rate. It had a
capacity of 2,097,152 (221)
72-bit words (64 data bits
and 8 ECC bits) and
transferred 125,000 words
per second.
Modern disk Storage
 IBM 2310
The IBM 2310 Removable
Cartridge Drive was introduced
with the IBM 1130 in 1965. It
could store 512,000 words
(1,024,000 bytes) on an IBM
2315 cartridge. A single 14-inch
(360 mm) oxide-coated
aluminum disk spun in a plastic
shell with openings for the
read/write arm and two heads
 Current state of the art
 The progress of millipede storage to a commercially
useful product has been slower than expected. Huge
advances in other competing storage systems,
notably Flash and hard drives, has made the existing
demonstrators unattractive for commercial
production.
 Millipede appears to be in a race, attempting to
mature quickly enough at a given technology level
that it has not been surpassed by newer generations
of the existing technologies by the time it is ready for
production.
 Current state of the art
 The earliest generation millipede devices used probes
10 nanometers in diameter and 70 nanometers in
length, producing pits about 40 nm in diameter on
fields 92 µm x 92 µm. Arranged in a 32 x 32 grid, the
resulting 3 mm x 3 mm chip stores 500 megabits of
data or 62.5 MB, resulting in an areal density, the
number of bits per square inch, on the order of 200
Gbit/in². IBM initially demonstrated this device in
2003, planning to introduce it commercially in 2005.
By that point hard drives were approaching 150
Gbit/in², and have since surpassed it.
Conclusion
 Today there are no known emerging
markets for nanotechnology where high
density storage devices.
 The HDD industry meating