JPH04157642A - Information recording carrier and information processing using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent damage, etc., on a probe and a recording medium, and to improve reliability of recording/reproducing by mounting the probe mounted at a warped beam and the medium in a frame. CONSTITUTION:An information recording carrier 20 inserted into a processor body 21 contains at least one probe electrode 22 together with a recording medium 23 in a frame 24 to be detachable with respect to the body 21. Here, a beam 26 in which the medium 23 and the probe are mounted and which is at least warped in an opposite direction of the side mounted at the probe at the time of unmounted on the body 21, is mounted in the frame 24. Accordingly, the carrier 20 encloses the probe, the medium 23 mounted at the beam 26 in the frame 24, and the beam 26 is warped at the opposite side of the probe, and hence there is low danger of contact of the probe with the medium 23. Thus, damage, etc., on the probe and the medium 23 can be prevented, and reliability of recording/reproducing is improved.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an information record carrier and an information processing device using the same.

[Prior Art] In recent years, a scanning tunneling microscope (hereinafter referred to as STM) that can directly observe the electronic structure on and near the surface of a material has been developed [G., B1nn1g et al., Helveti
caPhysica Acta, 55,726f198
2)], it has become possible to observe real space images with high resolution regardless of whether it is single crystal or amorphous, and it also has the advantage of being able to perform measurements with low power without causing almost any damage to the sample material due to the current.
Furthermore, it is expected to have a wide range of applications because it operates not only in ultra-high vacuum, but also in the atmosphere and in accumulated liquids, and can be applied to various materials.

STM utilizes the phenomenon that a tunnel current is generated when a voltage is applied between a metal probe and a conductive sample and the sample is brought close to a distance of about 1 nm. Recently, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-161552, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 63-161553
As disclosed in the above publication, many proposals have been made to apply this STM principle to configure information processing apparatuses mainly for ultra-high density recording and reproduction. In other words, information is recorded by physically deforming the recording medium, which corresponds to the sample, using a probe electrode, which corresponds to an STM probe, or by changing the electronic state of the surface of the medium, and recording bits are created by a current tunneling between the two. It is said that by using this method of reproducing information, it is possible to record and reproduce large-scale information at a high density on the order of molecules or atoms.

Among the above recording methods, to give physical deformation,
In addition to pressing a sharp recording probe against a recording medium to create a dent, it has recently been reported that holes can be formed on a recording medium such as graphite by applying a pulse voltage.

That is, after bringing the probe electrode close to the recording medium surface,
By applying a voltage between the two with a pulse width of 3 to 8 cm and a pulse width of 1 to 10 Ous, a hole having a diameter of about 40 degrees or less can be formed and can be sufficiently used as a recording bit. - way,
In order to perform placement by changing the electronic state, a cumulative film of appropriate organic molecules is created on the base electrode by the Langmuir-Prodgett method (hereinafter referred to as the LB method), and a voltage is applied between the base electrode and the probe electrode. A method of changing the electrical resistance characteristics of this minute portion by applying a voltage is known, and is attracting attention because it is easy to erase and rewrite.

FIG. 6 shows the configuration of a conventional information recording carrier that performs recording by changing the electronic state and an information processing device using the same. 3. A recording medium 4 having a switching memory effect is placed, and a three-dimensional drive mechanism 5 is mounted facing the recording medium 4.
First, by driving the coarse movement mechanism 1 by a microcomputer 7 and a coarse movement control circuit 8, the probe electrode 6 and the recording medium 4 are roughly aligned. .

During recording, the three-dimensional drive mechanism 5 is driven by the XY scan drive circuit 9 to scan the probe electrode 6 on the recording medium 4,
Probe electrode 6 by voltage application device 10 at the recording position;
When a pulse voltage is applied between the base electrodes 3, regions with locally different electrical resistances are created on the recording medium 4, and recording is performed.

During reproduction, the probe electrode 6 is scanned over the surface of the recording medium 4 while applying a constant voltage that causes a tunnel current to flow between the probe electrode 6 and the recording medium 4 . The tunnel current obtained at that time is amplified and detected by a current amplifier 11,
Servo circuit 1 is installed so that the tunnel current always remains at a constant value.
2 drives the three-dimensional drive mechanism 5 to drive the probe electrode 6.
is moved in the vertical direction, and the amount of vertical movement corresponds to the transcript information. Note that all these controls are performed by the microcomputer 7.

In this way, in order to utilize tunnel current, it is necessary to place the probe electrode 6 and the recording medium 4 close to each other by about 1 nm, and the probe electrode 6 and the recording medium 4 must be processed with high precision.
Manufacturing technology is required.

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention 1] However, in the conventional information recording carrier and the information processing apparatus using the same, the recording medium 4 and the probe electrode 6
, the probe electrode 6 may come into contact with the recording medium 4 due to external vibrations and damage the surface of the recording medium 4. This may cause a decrease in the S/N ratio and a recording/reproduction error. There is.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an information recording carrier that prevents damage to probes and recording media and has high reliability in recording and reproducing, and an information processing apparatus using the same.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an information recording carrier according to the present invention and an information processing apparatus using the same include a recording medium that is a carrier used for information processing via a probe. hand,
A recording medium and a probe are attached to the apparatus, and at least when the apparatus is not attached, a beam is installed in the frame, which is bent in a direction opposite to the side on which the probe is attached.

In addition, in the information processing device according to the present invention related to the above-mentioned specific invention, a recording medium and a probe are attached to the frame. It is characterized in that an information recording carrier installed inside the device can be freely attached, and information can be processed on the recording medium via the probe.

Furthermore, in the information processing apparatus according to the present invention related to the above-mentioned specific invention, information is provided in which a recording medium and a probe are attached, and a beam is installed in the frame, which is curved in the direction opposite to the side to which the probe is attached, at least when not energized. The present invention is characterized in that a record carrier is freely attachable, and information is processed on the recording medium via the probe.

[Operation] The information recording carrier having the above-mentioned configuration and the information processing apparatus using the same are configured such that the information recording carrier has a probe attached to a beam within a frame, the recording medium is sealed, and the beam is bent to the opposite side of the probe. There is a low risk of contact between the 5 probe and the recording medium.

[Example] The present invention will be described in detail based on the example illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an information recording carrier according to the present invention and an information processing main body using the same, and an information recording carrier 20 is inserted into a processing device main body 21.

Inside the information recording carrier 20, at least one probe electrode 22 is housed in a frame 24 together with a recording medium 23, and is configured to be detachable from the processing apparatus main body 21. This recording medium 23 is made of, for example, squar 1 thulium-bis-6-octyl azulene (SOAZ) formed by the LB method.
A stack of four layers shall be used. The probe electrode 22 made of tungsten is attached to a bimorph beam 2 which is cantilevered on a base 25 and slightly warped as shown in FIG.
6, respectively. The cross-sectional configuration of the bimorph beam 26 is, for example, upper electrode (Au)/insulating film (S).
i, N4)/piezo layer (ZnO)/insulating film (SisN4)
)/middle electrode (Au)/insulating film (SiiN4)/piezo layer (ZnO)/insulating film (SL-N-)/bottom electrode (Au), and in this example, the thickness of each layer was set to 0. .211m
10.1LLm10.3um/Q, I Lim70.2
μm10.1 um70.6μm10.6LLm10.
1 created as umlo, 2um, bimorph beam 2
6, the tip is bent upward by, for example, 0.2 μm, as shown in FIG. When the two piezo layers of this bimorph beam 26 are polarized in the same direction, voltages of the same polarity are applied to the middle electrode, such as positive (negative) to the upper electrode and positive (negative) to the lower electrode. This makes it possible to displace the tip of the bimorph beam 26, that is, the probe electrode 22. Note that the wiring from the probe electrode 22 and each bimorph beam 2
The circuit that leads the drive voltage of 6 is the base 25 and the bimorph beam 2.
The probe electrode 22 and the bimorph beam 26 as described above can be fabricated using a known method called micromechanics or micromachining [X, εPetersen, Proc, IEEE 7
0.4201982) and T, R, Albrecht
et al,, 4th International-
1 conference on STM/STS (ST
M'891P1-29,5IO-2].

In this way, the base 25 to which the bimorph beam 26 is attached has the probe electrode 22 inside the upper surface of the frame 24.
It is attached with the side facing down.

On the other hand, it is provided on a base electrode 28 on which 50 OA of Cr and 30 OA of Au are deposited by vacuum evaporation on a movable substrate 27 made of, for example, quartz glass, and the recording medium 23 is formed thereon. The moving board 27 is supported by a backing 29 consisting of mechanical seals arranged on the upper and lower surfaces of the end, and the recording medium 23 is moved in the XY force direction or horizontal plane together with the moving board 27 while keeping the distance from the base 25 constant. It is considered movable. A sealed area inside the frame 24 surrounded by the recording medium 23, the frame 24, the base 25, the moving board 27, and the backing 29 is filled with cleaned dry nitrogen gas G.

As shown in the perspective view of the lower surface of FIG. The drive mechanism 31 and the movable substrate 27 are brought into contact with each other, and electrodes 32 are formed at the ends of the frame 24 to move the information recording carrier 20 into the processing device main body 21. When inserted, it comes into contact with the electrode connection part 33 provided in the processing device main body 21 and is used for signal and power connection.

The electrode 32 is basically the probe electrode 2 within the frame 24.
2 and the bimorph beam 26, and if necessary, at least a part of a drive circuit, which will be described later, is built into the information recording carrier 20 as a drive circuit 34.

On the other hand, the processing device main body 21 has an XY
A drive mechanism 31 is provided, and a vertical movement mechanism 35 is provided at the bottom of the drive mechanism 31.
are mechanically connected, and when this vertical movement mechanism 35 moves upward, the XY drive mechanism 31 is inserted through the window 30 into the information recording carrier 20 inserted into the processing device main body 21, and the A mechanism 31 is arranged to come into contact with the moving substrate 27, and a piezoelectric element having a so-called inch worm configuration or the like may be used for this XY drive mechanism 31.

Further, due to the contact with the electrode 32 of the information recording carrier 20, a drive circuit as shown in FIG. 5 is completed in the processing device main body 21. That is, an XY scanning circuit 40 for scanning and driving the XY drive mechanism 31 in the XY force direction, a voltage application circuit 41 for applying a voltage between the probe electrode 22 and the base electrode 28, and a voltage application circuit 41 for applying a voltage between the probe electrode 22 and the recording medium 23. A current amplifier 42 that amplifies the generated tunnel current, a servo circuit 43 that adjusts the voltage applied to the bimorph beam 26 so that the current detected using the current amplifier 42 is constant, and control of the entire device and data analysis. Microcomputer 4 that performs
4 is provided.

Note that the coarse movement mechanism, coarse movement drive circuit, and other probe electrodes 22
, the bimorph beam 26 and its auxiliary circuits are not shown.

In the above configuration, the XY drive mechanism 31 is lowered by the vertical movement mechanism 35 to a position that does not interfere with attachment and detachment of the information recording carrier 20, and the information recording carrier 20 is attached to the processing device main body 21 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. At the time of arrival, the electrode 32 and the electrode connecting portion 33 come into contact with each other to complete the drive circuit. Then, before starting information processing, the XY drive mechanism 31 is raised again and the window section 30
The probe electrode 22 is inserted into the information recording carrier 20 and mechanically abuts against the moving substrate 27, and the probe electrode 22 is brought close to the recording medium 23 by a coarse movement mechanism (not shown). Then, a voltage is applied to the bimorph beam 26 by the servo circuit 43 to correct the warpage and move the probe electrode 22 to the recording medium 26.
Efforts have been made to shorten the time required for moving the probe electrode 22 and increase the processing speed. To do this, for example, the information recording carrier 20 must be transferred to the information processing main body 21.
This correction voltage is applied when the power is input to the information processing main body 21 after the information processing main body 21 is installed, and after the information processing operation is completed or when no processing is performed for a long time, or when the power to the information processing main body 21 is turned off. It is preferable to set the corrective voltage application to be stopped when the voltage is not applied. Since the probe electrode 22 is separated from the recording medium 23 when the voltage is not applied, the risk of contact between the two is reduced. In addition, the bimorph beam 26
By changing the thickness of the two piezo layers during production, selecting the materials of the electrodes and the piezo layers, etc., the stress of warping, that is, the magnitude of warping, can be arbitrarily set.

During recording, the probe electrode 2 is
2. If a rectangular pulse voltage of 3.5 V and a pulse width of 50 ns is applied across the recording medium 23, the characteristics of the recording medium 23 will change and a portion of low electrical resistance will be created, allowing recording to be performed. During reproduction, for example, 2
While applying a DC voltage of 0.00 mV, the tunnel current is amplified and detected by the current amplifier 42, and the voltage applied to each bimorph beam 26 is controlled by the servo circuit 43 so that the tunnel current becomes a constant value of, for example, 0.1 nA. The probe electrode 22 is moved in a direction perpendicular to the recording medium 23 under the control of the computer 44 . Since the amount of feedback drive of the bimorph beam 26 at this time corresponds to the recorded information on the recording medium 23, the probe electrode 22 is moved in the horizontal plane by the XY drive mechanism 31 driven by the XY scanning circuit 40, and the information is can be played.

Further, erasing can be performed by applying a triangular wave pulse voltage of 5 cm and a pulse width of 1 us. Note that if a plurality of probe electrodes 22 exist, the selection is made by the drive circuit 34.
Alternatively, the microcomputer 44 may perform the processing.

In this way, since the probe electrode 22 and the recording medium 23 are housed in the frame 24, the probe electrode 22 and the recording medium 23 are shielded from the atmosphere, and their sealed state does not change even when the recording medium is replaced. By unitizing parts with high deterioration prevention and dustproof effects and high precision into the information recording carrier 20, the productivity of other parts such as the processing device main body 21 is improved, and furthermore, the high precision parts can be replaced. Moreover, it is easy to maintain in case of damage caused by accidents.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the information recording carrier according to the present invention and the information processing device using the same are such that the information recording carrier has a probe attached to a curved beam and a recording medium installed in a frame. This reduces the risk of contact between the probe and the recording medium, prevents damage to the probe and the recording medium, and improves the reliability of recording and reproduction.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Drawings 1 to 5 show embodiments of an information recording carrier according to the present invention and an information processing device using the same, and the first section is a sectional view of the information recording carrier inserted into the main body of the processing device; Section 2 is an enlarged perspective view of how to attach the probe electrode, Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the information recording carrier, Fig. 4 is an external perspective view of the information recording carrier, and Fig. 5 is the installation of the information recording carrier into the main body of the processing device. FIG. 6 is a circuit configuration diagram of a conventional example in the inserted state. 20 is an information recording carrier, 21 is a processing device main body, 22 is a probe electrode, 23 is a recording medium, 24 is a frame, 25
26 is a base, 26 is a bimorph beam, 27 is a moving substrate, 28 is a base electrode, 29 is a backing, 31 is an xy drive circuit, 3
2 is an electrode, 41 is a voltage application circuit, 42 is a current amplifier, 4
3 is a servo circuit, and 44 is a microcomputer. Patent applicant: Canon Co., Ltd. Representative: Patent attorney: Yukihiko Hibiya. 111 Figure 1 Figure 5 Figure 6/

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A carrier used for information processing using a recording medium via a probe, which is curved in the direction opposite to the side to which the probe is attached, at least when the recording medium and the probe are attached and not attached to the device. An information recording carrier characterized by having a beam installed within a frame. 2. The information recording carrier according to claim 1, wherein the number of probes is plural. 3. An information recording carrier with a recording medium and a probe attached thereto, at least when it is not attached to the apparatus, is provided with a beam bent in a direction opposite to the side on which the probe is attached, and is installed in the frame, and the information recording carrier is attached through the probe. An information processing device characterized by processing information on a recording medium. 4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a correction means for deforming the beam in order to correct warping of the beam. 5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the deformation by the correction means is performed simultaneously with power input to the information processing apparatus. 6. An information recording carrier having a recording medium and a probe attached thereto and a beam curved in a direction opposite to the side to which the probe is attached, at least when not energized, is installed in the frame, and the information recording carrier is attached to the recording medium through the probe. An information processing device characterized by processing information.