NANO-COMPACT DISKS WITH 400 GBIT IN(2) STORAGE DENSITY FABRICATED USING NANOIMPRINT LITHOGRAPHY AND READ WITH PROXIMAL PROBE/

Nano-compact disks (Nano-CDs) with 400 Gbit/in(2) topographical bit de nsity (nearly three orders of magnitude higher than commercial CDs) ha ve been fabricated using nanoimprint lithography. The reading and wear ing of such Nano-CDs have been studied using scanning proximal probe m ethods. Using a tapping mode, a Nano-CD was read 1000 times without an y detectable degradation of the disk or the silicon probe tip. In acce lerated wear tests with a contact mode, the damage threshold was found to be 19 mu N. This indicates that in a tapping mode, both the Nano-C D and silicon probe tip should have a lifetime that is at least four o rders of magnitude longer than that at the damage threshold. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.