Demonstration of nanometer recording with a scanning probe microscope

Feasibility of ultrahigh density information data storage has been newly demonstrated by using an atomic force microscope (AFM). Ultrasmall gold dots ranging from 10 to 100 nm in diameter could be successfully recorded on Si substrate in air by adjusting and applied pulsed voltage of AFM probe (SiO"2 birdbeak-type cantilever) coated with gold thin film. It indicates that the technique has a potential to realize a storage density of more than 100 Gb/in^2 and even 1 Tb/in^2.