Ferroelectric materials boost data storage potential
Team demonstrates nanoscale patterns for advanced memory and electronics
image: An atomic force microscope tip writes data in stable ferroelectric structures, enabling reliable multistate storage at extremely small scales in this illustration.
Credit: Morgan Manning/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory used specialized tools to study materials at the atomic scale and analyze defects at the materials’ surface. Results of their research help to better understand these materials used for advance electronics, enabling innovative data storage and computation methods.
The team modified a commercial atomic force microscope with artificial intelligence to precisely assemble and detect patterns in bismuth ferrite. This method avoids invasive electrode deposition, which complicates the process and restricts how small the structures can be.
"We can use the atomic force microscopy tip to align the electric polarization at the nanoscale, so we can write, read and erase these patterns — known as topological structures — on demand," said Marti Checa, the study’s leader.
Published in ACS Nano, this proof-of-concept highlights how multistate information manipulation boosts information storage potential. Building on ORNL’s work in nanoscale materials, this research aligns with ongoing innovations enhancing memory technologies. — Scott Gibson