Nanometer-scale data storage on 3-phenyl-1-ureidonitrile thin film using scanning tunneling microscopy

We present nanometer-scale date storage on 5-phenyl-1-ureidonitrile thin fi lm using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). This monomer film can bt:come polymerized when a voltage pulse is applied between the STM tip and the su bstrate. The affected region changes from being electrically resistant to e lectrically conductive along the direction of the polymeric molecular chain . The recorded mark of the data occurs in the region, and is 0.8 nm. We hav e obtained recorded marks arranged regularly as 6 X 8 arrays. A possible ch emical mechanism of this data storage would be the phase transition from th e monomer state to the polymeric state. The small marks are very stable. (C ) 2000 American Vacuum Society. [S0734-211X(00)04103-2].