JPH05250735A - Infomation processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To detect light emitting state of a directly or indirectly excited recording medium by applying a voltage between a probe electrode and a planar electrode, and to perform high capacity high density recording, reproduction and erasure. CONSTITUTION:A planar electrode 2 provided with a recording medium 1 having switching memory characteristics is disposed oppositely to a probe electrode 6. An optical detecting means 5 detects light emitting state 4 of the recording medium 1 excited directly or indirectly with a tunnel current 19 which flows upon application of a voltage between the probe electrode 6 and the planar electrode 2. High capacity, high density, i.e., in the order of nm, recording, reproduction and erasure can be realized by performing operation similar to that in the observation of organic molecular surface in the order of nm.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a large capacity / high density information processing apparatus having a recording density on the order of nm.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, memory materials have been used at the core of the electronics industry for computers and related equipment, video discs, digital audio discs, etc., and the development of such materials has been extremely active. The performance required for a memory material varies depending on the application, but in general, one having a high density and a large recording capacity is required.

Until now, semiconductor memories and magnetic memories made of magnetic materials or semiconductors have been mainly used. In recent years, however, optical memories have been developed along with the progress of laser technology. By utilizing this, high-density recording / reproducing on the order of μm has become possible.

As such a recording medium, a thin film of a metal or a metal compound, an organic dye thin film, or the like is used, and information is obtained by making holes by evaporating and melting by using heat of laser light or changing reflectance. I am recording.

Further, at present, the image information is rapidly progressing, and there is an increasing need for a smaller size, large capacity and high density memory.

[0006]

However, in the conventional optical memory, since the laser light is converged by the optical system to perform the recording / reproducing, it is difficult to narrow the beam diameter to the wavelength of the light or less, and the light having the shortest wavelength is used. However, there is a drawback that the recording unit is limited to the μm order.

The object of the present invention is a large-capacity / high-density recordable / reproducible / erasable information processing having a recording density of nm order, which has not been achieved by the above-described conventional information processing apparatus using an optical memory. To provide a device.

[0008]

According to the information processing apparatus of the present invention, the light emitting state of the recording medium excited directly or indirectly by applying a voltage between the probe electrode and the plane electrode is determined. A large capacity with a recording density on the order of nm can be obtained by performing the same operation as the observation on the organic molecule surface on the order of nm which is the operation of a normal scanning tunneling microscope (hereinafter referred to as “STM”) while detecting.・
High-density recording, playback, and erasing can be performed.

That is, the first aspect of the present invention is to provide a means for applying a voltage between the plane electrode and the probe electrode in an information processing apparatus in which the probe electrode is arranged opposite to the plane electrode provided with the recording medium, and An information processing apparatus, comprising: a photodetector that is excited by applying a voltage between a flat electrode and the probe electrode to detect a light emitting state of the recording medium, and is preferably used as the recording medium. Is
The information processing apparatus is characterized by using a monomolecular film of an organic compound having a π-electron conjugated system, a cumulative film obtained by accumulating the monomolecular film, or a dye thin film having a π-electron conjugated system.

In a second aspect of the present invention, in the information processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, as the recording medium, a thin film for electroluminescence and a thin film containing ions for changing a light emitting state of the thin film for electroluminescence are laminated. An information processing device characterized by using the above, as a thin film containing ions for changing the light emitting state of the electroluminescent thin film, preferably a thin film containing an activator of the electroluminescent thin film, or The above information processing apparatus is characterized by using a thin film containing ions forming a mixed crystal with a component of the electroluminescent thin film, and further changing the luminescent state of the electroluminescent thin film and the electroluminescent thin film. The above information processing device is characterized in that a partition layer is provided between the thin film containing ions, and further, by applying a voltage between the planar electrode and the probe electrode, Ions to change the light emission state of the electric field light emitting thin film, an the information processing apparatus characterized by injecting into the electroluminescent thin film.

A third aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the information processing device according to the first or second aspect of the present invention, a noble metal electrode, preferably an Au electrode or an Ag electrode is used as the planar electrode. It is an information processing device.

A fourth aspect of the present invention is the information processing apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects of the present invention, characterized in that an optical fiber for information transfer is further connected to the light detecting means. Is an information processing device in which a plurality of the above information processing devices are connected by using an optical fiber.

FIG. 1 is an example of a block diagram of an information processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a recording medium, 2 is a planar electrode provided with the recording medium 1, 3 is a substrate for making a planar electrode, 6 is a probe electrode arranged facing the recording medium 1, and 11 is a probe electrode. 6 is a means for applying a voltage between the flat electrode 2 and the flat electrode 2, and 19 is the probe electrode 6 and the flat electrode 2.
Reference numeral 5 denotes a tunnel current flowing between the photodetectors.

In this apparatus, the light emitting state 4 of the recording medium 1 directly or indirectly excited by the tunnel current 19 flowing by applying a voltage between the probe electrode 6 and the plane electrode 2 is detected by the light detecting means 5. It is possible to detect and reproduce the recorded information.

Reference numeral 7 in the drawing denotes a probe electrode 6 and a recording medium 1.
Is a piezo-piezoelectric actuator movable in the Z direction, which is means for controlling the distance from the surface of the recording medium 1, and X and Y are means for moving the probe electrode 6 along the surface of the recording medium 1. A directional piezoelectric actuator, 10 is a means for detecting a tunnel current flowing between the probe electrode and the plane electrode, and 12 is mainly a noise component of the tunnel current signal detected by the tunnel current detecting means 10. Reference numeral 15 is a low-pass filter, and 15 is a Z-direction movable piezoelectric actuator 7.
Is an amplifier that adjusts the feedback gain to
Reference numeral 14 is a microcomputer that controls the entire memory device.

Further, in the present apparatus, the bandpass filter 1 for removing noise from the electric signal converted by the tunnel current detecting means 10 and effectively extracting the information component.
3, the reproduction of the recorded information can be realized by the light detection means 5, the tunnel current detection means 10, or both of them, and the reproduction information is compared by using both means at the same time to detect an error at the time of reproduction. it can.

The recording medium 1 has, for example, a switching memory characteristic as shown in FIG. 2 when it has an MIM element structure, a monomolecular film of an organic compound having a π-electron conjugated system, or the monomolecular film. A cumulative film, for example, a polyimide LB film, which is a cumulative film, can be used.

Further, by combining a wavelength filter with the light detecting means 5, a dye thin film having a π-electron conjugated system, for example, a cyanine dye thin film, can be used as the recording medium 1 as long as it has a similar action. ..

The information processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention is not limited to the above configuration.

FIG. 3 is an example of a block diagram of the second information processing apparatus of the present invention. In the figure, 33 is a thin film for electroluminescence.
Reference numeral 1 is a thin film containing ions that change the light emitting state of the electroluminescent thin film, 32 is a partition layer provided between the electroluminescent thin film 33 and the activator thin film 31, and 1 is thin film 31 / partition layer 32 / electroluminescence thin film 33 is a recording medium.

In the figure, 2 is a plane electrode on which the recording medium 1 is arranged, 3 is a substrate on which the plane electrode is arranged, 6 is a probe electrode arranged facing the recording medium 1, and 34 is a probe electrode 6. Reference numeral 7 denotes a cantilever arranged, 7 is a piezo piezoelectric actuator movable in the Z direction perpendicular to the surface of the recording medium 4, 35 is a He-Ne laser light source, and 36 is a light beam which is a two-division light detecting means. It is a displacement detecting means.

Reference numeral 11 is a means for applying a voltage between the probe electrode 6 and the flat electrode 2, 37 is an XYZ direction driving device which is a piezoelectric element, and 14 is a micro controller for controlling the entire memory device. It's a computer.

Further, 38 is a wavelength filter, and 5 is a light detecting means. In the present apparatus, a ZnS: Cl thin film or a ZnS: Ag, Cl thin film can be used as the electroluminescent thin film 33 constituting the recording medium 1, and the thin film 31 is preferably the above electroluminescent thin film. A thin film containing 33 activator ions, for example copper palmitate LB
A film or a thin film containing ions forming a mixed crystal with the components of the electroluminescent thin film 33, for example, cadmium palmitate L
Although a B film or the like can be used, these are not limited to the above combination, and any film having a similar action may be used.

The second information processing apparatus of the present invention is not limited to the above configuration.

[0025]

EXAMPLES The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to examples.

Embodiment 1 This embodiment relates to the first information processing apparatus of the present invention shown in FIG.

First, a method for producing the polyimide LB film 2, 4, 6, or 8 layers, which is an organic compound thin film having a switching memory characteristic used in the recording medium 1 in this embodiment, will be described.

The polyamic acid represented by the formula (1) is replaced with N, N-
After being dissolved in a dimethylacetamide solvent (concentration of monomer conversion: 1 × 10 ⁻³ M), a separately prepared 1 × 10 ⁻³ M solution of N, N-dimethyloctadecylamine in the same solvent was mixed with 1: 2 (V). / V) to prepare a polyamic acid octadecylamine salt solution represented by the formula (2).

The above solution was spread on a water phase composed of pure water having a water temperature of 20 ° C. to form a monomolecular film on the water surface. After removing the solvent, the surface pressure was increased to 25 mN / m. While keeping the surface pressure constant, the speed of the electrode substrate across the water surface is 5m.
After soaking gently at m / min, then 5 mm / min
Was gently pulled up to prepare a two-layer Y-type monomolecular cumulative film. Further, by repeating this operation, monomolecular cumulative films of octadecylamine salt of polyamic acid having 4, 6 and 8 layers were also formed.

Next, the substrate was heat-treated at 300 ° C. for 10 minutes to imidize the polyamic acid octadecylamine salt (formula (3)) to obtain a 2, 4, 6 or 8-layer polyimide LB film.

[0031]

[Chemical 1] The recording medium 1 is the polyimide LB film formed as described above.
Is used for arranging it on the flat electrode 2 made of a noble metal electrode, and moving the probe electrode 6 to a desired surface position,
A bias of +100 mV is applied between the probe electrode 6 and the plane electrode 2 so that the plane electrode 2 side has a low potential, and the tunnel current flowing at this time is fixed at a distance between the probe electrode 6 and the recording medium 1 at which the tunnel current is 10 pA. Peak voltage +3.0
By applying a triangular wave voltage having a width of V and a width of 0.5 sec, the resistance value of the recording medium 1 becomes lower than that of the surrounding area.
A recording bit corresponding to the writing state 17 of about 10 nm was formed. Further, the probe electrode 6 is moved onto this recording bit, a bias of +100 mV is applied between the probe electrode 6 and the plane electrode 2 so that the plane electrode side 2 has a high potential, and the tunnel current flowing at this time becomes 10 pA. By fixing the distance between the probe electrode 6 and the recording medium 1 and applying a triangular wave voltage having a peak voltage of +5.0 V and a width of 0.5 sec, the resistance value of the recording bit is returned to the almost same state as the surroundings, and I was able to erase.

The probe electrode 6 is scanned along the surface of the recording medium 1 by the piezoelectric actuators 8 and 9 while applying a bias voltage of about 0.5 to 2.5 V between the probe electrode 6 and the flat electrode 2. By doing so, the difference in the light emitting state corresponding to the difference between the writing state 17 and the non-writing state 18 of the recording medium 1 is detected by the light detecting means 5.
It was possible to play back the recorded information.
However, as the light detecting means, one having sensitivity in the visible region and one having sensitivity in the infrared region were prepared and switched according to the emission wavelength.

Here, in particular, the feedback gain is weakened by the amplifier 15 to form smooth unevenness on the surface.
Although the distance is controlled, the probe electrode 6 is scanned in a so-called constant height (constant distance) mode, which operates in a substantially constant distance mode with respect to the writing state 17 corresponding to the recording bit. When scanning over 17, the tunnel current increases corresponding to the decrease in the resistance value of the recording medium 1 compared to when scanning over the non-written state 18. Such a difference in tunnel current mainly affects the intensity of the surface plasmon wave excited in the vicinity of the surface of the planar electrode 2, and the light having different intensity is converted by the means for converting the surface plasmon into light. It is inferred that the light is converted into a light emission state and is detected by the light detection means 5 as light emission states having different intensities, but the present invention is not limited to this mechanism.

FIG. 4 is for explaining the means for converting the above surface plasmon into light. In the figure, reference numeral 41 shows the pitch l of the grating which is the decoupling means for converting the surface plasmon into light. .. In the present embodiment, the plane electrode 2 has a driving-type grating structure in the macro, so that the tracking operation can be performed by using the edge of the grating. Here, the pitch of the grating is set to about 0.5 to 2.0 μm. In addition to the grating, a prism decoupler can be used as the decoupling means.

Embodiment 2 This embodiment relates to the information processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, and Embodiment 1
It shows another embodiment of the.

FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of the information processing apparatus manufactured in this embodiment.

In this embodiment, a cyanine dye thin film, which is a dye thin film having a π electron system, is used as the recording medium 1.
The same as Example 1 except that the light emitting state excited by the tunnel current is detected by the light detecting means 5 after passing through the wavelength filter 38.

In the present embodiment, since the dye thin film is used as the recording medium 1, the direct excitation of the dye thin film by the tunnel current increases the emission intensity from the tunnel current injection part. Further, since the wavelength filter 38 can selectively take out the change in the light emission characteristic peculiar to the dye thin film, the S / N ratio at the time of reproducing the recorded information can be increased and the highly reliable information processing apparatus can be realized.

Embodiment 3 This embodiment relates to the second information processing apparatus of the present invention shown in FIG.

In the present embodiment, the electroluminescent thin film 33 is a ZnS; Cl thin film, and the activator thin film 31 containing activator ions for changing the light emission state of the electroluminescent thin film 33 is copper palmitate (( A C ₁₆ H ₃₃ COO) ₂ Cu) thin film, and a lipid LB monomolecular film was used as the partition wall layer 32.

First, a mica substrate is used as the substrate 3 for forming a flat electrode, and an Au thin film having a thickness of 1000 Å is epitaxially grown on the mica substrate by a vacuum deposition method to form a flat electrode 2
Used as. In addition, Z containing 0.01 mol of KCl
A film of nS was formed to a thickness of 20 Å by a vacuum vapor deposition method to form a ZnS; Cl thin film which is the electroluminescent thin film 33. In addition, a monomolecular film of stearyl acid (C ₁₈ H ₃₇ COOH) was formed on the ZnS; Cl thin film by the LB method to form the partition wall layer 32. Specifically, the electroluminescent thin film 3
The substrate 3 on which the 3 and the plane electrode 2 are arranged is soaked in pure water filled in the LB trough, and then 2 × 10 ⁻³ mol
/ L of a stearic acid chloroform solution was developed in pure water, and the surface pressure was increased to 20 mN / m.
While maintaining mN / m, the substrate 3 was pulled up vertically to the water surface at a rising rate of 4 mm / min and dried to prepare a monomolecular film of stearic acid. Here, the film thickness of the stearic acid monomolecular film is 25Å. Further, an activator thin film 31 containing an activator was obtained by forming a bimolecular film of a copper salt of palmitate ((C ₁₆ H ₃₃ COO) ₂ Cu) on the stearic acid monomolecular film by an LB film. Specifically, a chloroform solution of palmitic acid of 2 × 10 ⁻³ mol / l was developed on a CuSo ₄ aqueous solution of 1 × 10 ⁻⁵ mol / l, and the surface pressure was increased to 20 mN / m. Was maintained at 20 mN / m and the substrate 3 was reciprocated once in the vertical direction perpendicular to the water surface at a speed of 4 mm / min to dry, and a bimolecular film of a palmitate copper salt was prepared. Here, the thickness of the bilayer of palmitic acid copper salt is 44Å
Is.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an emission spectrum of ZnS: Cu, Cl. As shown in FIG.
It is known that the emission spectrum of Cl changes depending on the Cu concentration (Reference: Sohachiro Hayakawa, Materials and Light P1.
52, Asakura Shoten). That is, ZnS: Cu, Cl is C
If there is no u ion, blue light emission with a peak around 460 nm is emitted, and if there is an appropriate amount of Cu ion, it is 540 nm.
It emits green light with a peak in the vicinity.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a writing process of the recording medium 1. 7A shows the initial state of the recording medium 1, and FIG. 7B shows the writing state after voltage application.

The probe electrode 6 is moved to a desired position on the recording medium 1 by the XYZ direction drive device 37.
After the probe electrode 6 is brought close to the surface of the recording medium 1 until the atomic force acting on the tip of the probe electrode becomes about 10 ⁻⁹ N, the probe electrode 6 side is set to a positive potential by the voltage applying means 11 and +4.
When a triangular wave voltage of 0 V was applied for 0.5 sec, the Cu ion 71 in the center of the copper palmitate two-layer film 31 in the initial state passed through the partition layer 32 made of a stearic acid monomolecular film by the effect of the electric field. ZnS; Cl film 3
It was injected into 3 and became a recording state. However, the detection of the interatomic force is performed by the He- incident on the back surface of the cantilever 34.
The displacement of the cantilever was obtained by detecting the displacement of the reflected light of the Ne laser light by the optical displacement detecting means 36.

In reproducing the recorded state, the atomic force acting on the tip of the probe electrode 6 is applied while the triangular wave voltage of −3.0 V is applied by the voltage applying means 11 so that the probe electrode 6 side has a negative potential. The cantilever is moved in the Z direction so that the cantilever becomes constant.
XYZ direction drive device 37 while performing feedback control with
The surface of the recording medium 1 was scanned in XY. At this time, the voltage applied between the probe electrode 6 and the plane electrode 2 (-3.0
The light emitting state excited by V) was detected by the light detecting means 5 and the recorded information was reproduced.

Here, as the wavelength filter 38, 5
A green wavelength pass filter having a peak at 40 nm was used.

When the surface of the recording medium 1 is scanned while applying a voltage of -3.0 V, blue light emission due to ZnS occurs due to the electroluminescence phenomenon where Cu ions are not implanted (no voltage is applied). Is recognized.

On the other hand, at the site where Cu ions were implanted (voltage was applied), green light emission, which is considered to be due to ZnS: Cu, Cl, was observed at a voltage of -3.0V. That is, by scanning the probe electrode 6 while applying a voltage of −3.0 V, green light emission is observed only in the voltage application portion, and blue light emission is obtained in the other initial state portions, and after passing through the green wavelength filter 38. The recorded state could be reproduced by detecting the light intensity by the light detecting means 5.

Here, the luminescence transition probability (W) is determined by the overlap of the wave functions of the donor (sensitization center) and the acceptor (luminescence center), but either one of the donor and acceptor tilt positions is shallow. , If hydrogen atom-like approximation is allowed, then W (r) = W _max exp (−2r / r _B ) is given. Where r _B is the Bohr radius and r is the distance between the donor and acceptor. That is, Cl
^It can be seen that the closer the distance between the donor such as-and the acceptor that is Cu ⁺ , the greater the transition probability of green emission, and the greater the emission intensity of green.

The transition probability is exp (-2r / r _B ).
Since it changes with, only when scanning near the acceptor,
A strong green emission is obtained. As described above, the probe electrode 6 scans the surface of the recording medium 1 to record, reproduce, and erase information having a recording density on the order of nm, in substantially the same manner as the normal STM image observation operation.

In this embodiment, a monomolecular film of stearic acid is used as the partition wall layer 32, which is provided between the activator thin film 31 and the electroluminescent thin film 33, so that the activator ion is produced when the activator thin film 31 is formed. Was prevented from being injected into the electroluminescent thin film 33.

Further, by using a bimolecular film of palmitic acid copper salt as the activator thin film 31, the probe electrode 6 is activated when the scanning is performed with a constant atomic force with the tip of the probe electrode 6. Disturbing the position of the ion is prevented by the part of the alkyl chain of palmitic acid.

Fourth Embodiment This embodiment relates to the second information processing apparatus of the present invention shown in FIG. 3 and shows another aspect of the third embodiment.

In this embodiment, as the thin film layer 31 containing ions for changing the light emitting state of the electroluminescent thin film 33, LB of manganese palmitate ((C ₁₆ H ₃₃ COO) ₂ Mn) is used.
The procedure is substantially the same as in Example 3 except that a membrane is used.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an emission spectrum of ZnS: Mn, Cl, and as shown in the figure, it is known that this emission spectrum is an orange emission having a peak near 585 nm ( Reference: Osamu Harashima, Ichizo Uchida
Co-authored, Electroluminescence-Applications, P9, Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun).

Therefore, in the same manner as in the third embodiment, a +4.0 V triangular wave of 0.
By applying for 5 seconds, the surface of the recording medium 1 is locally changed from ZnS: Cl to ZnS: Mn, Cl, and then a voltage of −3.0 V is applied so that the probe electrode 6 side has a negative potential. While the probe electrode 6 was scanned along the surface of the recording medium 1, orange light emission was obtained at the writing portion, and blue light emission was obtained at the other portions.

Recording and reproduction could be performed by detecting the difference in the light emitting state by the light detecting means 5. However, the wavelength filter 38 used has a peak transmission wavelength in the vicinity of 585 nm.

Further, in the same manner as in Example 3, it was possible to record, reproduce and erase information having a recording density of nm order.

Fifth Embodiment This embodiment relates to the second information processing apparatus of the present invention shown in FIG. 3 and shows another aspect of the third and fourth embodiments.

In this embodiment, as the thin film 31 containing ions for changing the light emitting state of the electroluminescent thin film 33, a thin film containing ions forming a mixed crystal with the components of the electroluminescent thin film 33 is used. This is almost the same as in Examples 3 and 4.

As the electroluminescent thin film 33, a monovalent metal such as zinc sulfide (ZnS: activated by Ag) is used.
Ag, Cl) thin film was used. In addition, ZnS: Ag, Cl
As the thin film 31 containing the components of the thin film 33 and ions forming a mixed crystal, an LB film of cadmium palmitate ((C ₁₆ H ₃₃ COO) ₂ Cd) laminated in 6 layers was used.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an emission spectrum of a mixed crystal phosphor of ZnS and CdS. As shown in FIG.
It is known that when Cd is added to S: Ag, Cl, the emission spectrum shifts to the longer wavelength side as the concentration thereof increases (Reference: Osamu Harashima, Kazuzo Uchida, Electroluminescence-The Application, P11, Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun).

In this embodiment, a pulse voltage of +4.0 V is applied to the voltage applying means 11 so that the probe electrode 6 has a positive potential.
When the pulse width is applied in the range of 0.1 msec to 100 msec, the injection amount of cadmium ions into the ZnS: Ag, Cl thin film 33 can be controlled according to the pulse width.

Therefore, when the recording medium 1 is scanned while applying a voltage of -3.0 V by the voltage applying means 11 so that the probe electrode 6 has a negative potential, the portion where writing is performed with a longer pulse width emits light. A phenomenon in which the peak wavelength becomes longer was recognized, and a multi-valued recording state could be reproduced by detecting the difference in the emission spectrum of each portion on the recording medium 1 by the light detecting means 5. However, the light detection means 5
An optical spectrum detecting means including a grating and an optical line sensor was used to detect the spectral spectrum during scanning of the probe electrode 6 in real time to reproduce the writing information.

In the same manner as in Example 3, recording, reproducing and erasing of information having a recording density on the order of nm became possible.

Embodiment 6 This embodiment relates to the fourth information processing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of an information processing apparatus manufactured in this embodiment, which is substantially the same as that in the first embodiment except that recording information corresponding to the light emitting state of the recording medium is transferred using an optical fiber. ..

In FIG. 10, 101 and 102 are optical fibers, 103 is an optical amplifying unit, 104 is an information receiving unit, 105 is a light detecting means, and 106 is a slit which is an optical system part.

The lengths of the optical fibers 101 and 102 are arbitrary, and can be used as a part of an optical information communication system by using, for example, several tens cm to several km.

In this embodiment, while applying a bias voltage of about 0.5 to 2.5 V between the probe electrode 6 and the plane electrode 2, the probe electrode 6 is moved along the surface of the recording medium 1 and the piezoelectric actuator 8 is provided. , 9 to cause the light emitting state 4 corresponding to the difference between the writing state 17 and the non-writing state 18 of the recording medium shown in FIG. 10 to enter the input optical fiber 101 through the slit 106 and pass through the optical amplification unit 103. After amplifying the strength, the light is transmitted through the communication optical fiber 102,
Light detecting means 1 provided in the information receiving unit 104
05 detects the difference in the light emission state of the recording medium 1,
The recorded information was reproduced.

In this embodiment, since the light emission phenomenon from the surface of the recording medium 1 in the STM structure can be directly transferred to a distant place, the structure is simple and the conventional recorded information is once converted into electric information and then converted into light. It was possible to achieve higher speeds compared to the method of transferring data by using.

Example 7 In this example, the information processing apparatus of Example 6 is replaced by an optical fiber.
This is an information processing device that is connected to each other and is capable of two-way communication.

FIG. 11 is a main block diagram of the information processing apparatus of the present embodiment, in which the second probe is irradiated with optical information corresponding to the light emission state of one recording medium 1 while the other recording medium 1b is being irradiated. The recorded information is reproduced by applying a voltage between the electrode 6b and the second plane electrode 2b.

In FIG. 11, 111a and 111b are in the relationship of a transmitter and a receiver, respectively, but the flow of information can be reversed by changing the operation. That is, 111a
And 111b are equivalent transceivers capable of bidirectional communication.

In the figure, 1b is a second recording medium, 2b is a second plane electrode on which the recording medium 1b is arranged, 3b is a second plane electrode forming substrate, and 6b is a second recording medium. A second probe electrode arranged to face the medium 1b,
b is a means for applying a voltage between the probe electrode 6b and the plane electrode 2b.

Reference numerals 112a, 112b and 113 are optical fibers, and 114a and 114b are bidirectional optical amplification units.

In this embodiment, while applying a bias voltage of about 0.5 to 2.5 V between the probe electrode 6 and the plane electrode 2, the probe electrode 6 is moved along the surface of the recording medium 1 and the piezoelectric actuator 8 is provided. , 9 to scan the light emitting state 4 corresponding to the difference between the writing state 17 and the non-writing state 18 of the recording medium shown in FIG.
Is input to the input / output optical fiber 112a, amplified by the bidirectional optical amplification unit 114a, transmitted through the communication optical fiber 113, and amplified again by the bidirectional optical amplification unit 114b in the receiver 111b. While irradiating the second recording medium 1b from the input / output optical fiber 112b, the second probe electrode 6b is connected to the second recording medium 1b.
The probe electrode 6 on the side of the transmitter 111a is cycled at the time when the probe electrode 6 on the side of the transmitter 111a moves on the recording bit corresponding to the "0" or "1" state, and the probe electrode 6b on the side of the receiver 111b and the plane are formed. A low potential is applied to the flat electrode 2b side, which is a voltage having a threshold voltage limit between the electrodes 2b, -2.9V.
By applying the voltage of, the information on the side of the transmitter 111a was transferred to the receiver 111b and recorded / reproduced.

In FIG. 11, reference numeral 115 is an assist light containing optical information corresponding to the light emission state directly or indirectly excited by the tunnel current flowing between the probe electrode 6 and the plane electrode 2, and recording on the transmitter 111a side. If the bit is the writing state 17 corresponding to the state "1", it is emitted as strong light, and if the recording bit on the transmitter 111a side is the non-writing state 18 corresponding to the state "0", it is emitted as weak light. Therefore, the assist light 115 can record / reproduce information according to the record information on the transmitter 111a side in the portion of the recording medium 1b to which the voltage of the threshold voltage limit is applied.

In this embodiment, the recording media 1 and 1b are
An azo compound having a quinone group and a hydroquinone group in one molecule was used.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram of the bidirectional optical amplifier units 114a and 114b used in this embodiment. In the figure, 121a and 121b are infrared lasers having a wavelength of 1500 nm, and 122a and 122b are 500 nm to 500 nm.
A photodetector that converts an optical signal containing recorded information in the infrared into an electric signal and transmits the electric signal to 121a and 121b.
Denoted at 3a and 123b are photodetectors for converting an infrared optical signal containing the transferred recording information into an electric signal.
a and 124b are light irradiation means having a peak wavelength of 400 nm, and 125a, 125b and 126a, 126
b is an optical distributor.

In the information transfer from the transmitter 111a to the receiver 111b, 0.
When the probe electrode 6 is scanned along the surface of the recording medium while applying a bias voltage of about 5 to 2.5 V, the light emission from 500 nm to infrared containing the recorded information as the light emission intensity passes through the input / output fiber 112a. Light distributor 12
After passing through 5a, it is detected by the photodetector 122a, converted into an electric signal and transmitted to the infrared laser 121a, and the infrared laser 121a outputs the information at both the receiver side with the light intensity according to the transmitted electric signal. It is sent to the light amplification unit 114b.

The optical information passing through the communication optical fiber 113 is distributed by the optical distributor 126b, and the infrared light detector 123 is distributed.
400 nm detected by b, converted into an electrical signal
It is transmitted to the wavelength light irradiation means 124b. 400n here
The m-wavelength light irradiating means 124b is composed of an incandescent lamp, an interference filter and a liquid crystal light shutter, and emits light of 400 nm wavelength with a light intensity according to the transmitted electric signal.
Irradiate the surface of.

Next, the recording medium used in this embodiment and the principle of writing with assist light will be described. As an example of the recording medium, an azo compound having a structure shown in FIG. 13A (positions of quinone group and hydroquinone group include ortho-meta-pattern position) will be taken up. When this compound is irradiated with light having a wavelength of 400 nm through the light irradiation means 124a and 124b, if the light intensity is high, trans-> cis-type photoisomerization occurs in the azo group inside the molecule, and FIG.
It has the structure shown in FIG. Further, while the light is still being radiated, the space between the flat electrode 2b and the probe electrode 6b shown in FIG.
When an electric field is applied in the direction shown in, the transfer of protons (H ⁺ ) occurs between the quinone group and the hydroquinone group that were in a hydrogen bond state, and the structure shown in FIG. Here, when the irradiation of light is stopped, cis-> trans-type photoisomerization occurs again, and the structure shown in FIG. This structure is in a written state, and compared with the structure in the initial state shown in FIG. 13A, proton transfer occurs between the hydroquinone group and the quinone group, and the intramolecular electron distribution state changes. Therefore, the structure shown in FIG. 13A (initial state)
And the structure (written state) shown in FIG. 13D, the shape of the tunnel barrier between the plane electrode 2b and the probe electrode 6b changes, so that the plane electrode 2b-the probe electrode 6
The value of the tunnel current that flows when a bias voltage is applied between b changes. By detecting this change, it becomes possible to distinguish the state (initial state or written state) of the molecule at the position accessed by the probe electrode 6b.

That is, if the recording bit on the transmitter 111a side is the write state 17 corresponding to the state "1", then 4
The assist light 115 having a wavelength of 00 nm has a high light intensity, and at this time, at the writing position of the recording medium 1b on the receiver 111b side, the tunnel current is increased and transfer recording is performed.

As described above, in this embodiment, the STM
The information is transmitted by using the light emission phenomenon from the surface of the recording medium 1 in the configuration, and at the same time, the information is received by irradiating the recording medium 1b in the STM configuration in the voltage applied state with light, so that the configuration is simple. An information processing device capable of optical communication has been realized.

[0086]

As described above, according to the present invention, large-capacity / high-density recording, reproducing, and erasing can be performed with a recording density on the order of nm, which has not been achieved by the conventional information processing apparatus using the optical memory. And an information processing apparatus capable of transferring information at a higher speed or bidirectional communication using an optical fiber have been realized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an example of a configuration diagram of an information processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing switching memory characteristics of a recording medium.

FIG. 3 is an example of a configuration diagram of a second information processing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a decoupling means for converting surface plasmons into light.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing another aspect of the information processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an emission spectrum of ZnS: Cu, Cl.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a process of writing information.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an emission spectrum of ZnS: Mn, Cl.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an emission spectrum of a mixed crystal phosphor of ZnS and CdS.

FIG. 10 is an example of a configuration diagram of a fourth information processing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a main configuration diagram showing another aspect of the fourth information processing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a configuration diagram of a bidirectional optical amplifier.

FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the principle of writing on a recording medium with assist light.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 1b Recording medium 2, 2b Planar electrode 3, 3b Planar electrode forming substrate 4 Light emission state 5 Photodetector 6, 6b Probe electrode 7, 7b Z direction movable piezoelectric actuator 8, 8b, 9, 9b X, Y Directionally movable piezo piezoelectric actuator 10,10b Tunnel current detection means 11,11b Voltage application means 12 Low pass filter 13 Band pass filter 14 Microcomputer 15 Amplifier 17 Writing state 18 Non-writing state 19 Tunnel current 31 Includes ions that change light emission state Thin film 32 Partition layer 33 Electroluminescent thin film 34 Cantilever 35 Laser light source 36 Optical displacement detection means 37 XYZ direction drive device 38 Wavelength filter 41 Grating pitch 71 Cu ion 101, 102 Optical fiber 103 Optical amplification Unit 104 Information receiving unit 105 Photodetector 106 Slit 111a Transmitter 111b Receiver 112a, 112b, 113 Optical fiber 114a, 114b Bidirectional optical amplification unit 115 Assist light 121a, 121b Infrared laser 122a, 122b, 123a, 123b Photodetector 124a , 124b Light irradiation means 125a, 125b, 126a, 126b Light distributor

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Etsuro Takashi 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc.

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. An information processing apparatus in which a probe electrode is arranged opposite to a plane electrode provided with a recording medium, a means for applying a voltage between the plane electrode and the probe electrode, the plane electrode and the probe electrode. An information processing device, comprising: a light detecting unit that detects a light emitting state of the recording medium, which is excited by applying a voltage between the two. 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a monomolecular film of an organic compound having a π-electron conjugated system or a cumulative film obtained by accumulating the monomolecular film is used as the recording medium. 3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a dye thin film having a π-electron conjugated system is used as the recording medium. 4. The recording medium comprises a laminate of an electroluminescent thin film and a thin film containing ions that change the emission state of the electroluminescent thin film.
The information processing device described. 5. The information according to claim 4, wherein ions for changing a light emitting state of the electroluminescent thin film are injected into the electroluminescent thin film by applying a voltage between the flat electrode and the probe electrode. Processing equipment. 6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a thin film containing an activator of the electroluminescent thin film is used as the thin film containing ions for changing the light emitting state of the electroluminescent thin film. .. 7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the ions that change the emission state of the electroluminescent thin film are ions that form a mixed crystal with the components of the electroluminescent thin film. 8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a partition layer is provided between the thin film for electroluminescence and the thin film containing ions for changing a light emitting state of the thin film for electroluminescence. .. 9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a noble metal electrode is used as the plane electrode. 10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein either the Au electrode or the Ag electrode is used as the noble metal electrode. 11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an optical fiber for information transfer is further connected to the light detecting means. 12. An information processing device comprising a plurality of the information processing devices according to claims 1 to 11 connected by an optical fiber.