Radiation Hardened Carbon Nanotube-based Nonvolatile Memory

ABSTRACT: Data storage onto Phase Change media with 22nm bit cells is proposed, providing 1Tb (threshold) and potentially 1TB (objective) data capacity in a one square inch memory chip. The chip will be designed for spaced based operation, radiation hardened, low power, and able to operate over the required temperature range with sub 10ns access times. The chip consists of an array of 200x200 NanoHeads, each with a modulated electron beam emitted from a Carbon Nano Tube (CNT)that is focused and deflected by a micro-electrode column onto a 137micron wide hexagonal data block of at least 25Mb threshold capacity. Data readout by secondary electron emission gives an SNR of 8 or more. The basic NanoHead design and media response have been validated under a recently completed NAVAIR Phase II SBIR for a 5TB 2.5in disk drive.The design is aimed toward large scale commercial production. This Phase I effort will update and re-optimize the NanoHead design and fabrication approach for memory chip configuration and result in a preliminary design to be fabricated and tested during a Phase II program. BENEFIT: The proposed memory chip addresses large commercial IT markets now served by Flash Memory and SSD devices, and will offer significant performance advantages. Major US companies are presently being sought for product licensing or partnering. The technology is scalable and should find application in Enterprise, consumer, and military markets.