Micro Scanning Probe Array Memory

The design for a new type of non-volatile mass storage memory is discussed. This new design, based on scanning probe techniques, combines the low volume and power consumption of the FlashRAM, with the high capacity of the hard disk. The small form factor of the device makes it an excellent candidate for mass storage in handheld embedded systems. Its hierarchical architecture allows us to make a trade-off between data-rate, access time and power consumption. The power consumption scales linearly with the desired data-rate, and is expected to be lower than what can be achieved with competing technologies.