Intel Discloses Molecular Quantum Memory Device With Single Molecule Magnets

Intel Corporation (Santa Clara, CA) received U.S. Patent 7,746,689 for a molecular quantum memory device.  Inventor Eric C. Hannah discloses apparatus, systems and methods for implementing molecular quantum memory. In one implementation, a source of polarized electrons and a source of oppositely polarized electrons may be selectively coupled to at least one probe tip of a probe assembly. The at least one probe tip may, in turn, be electrically coupled to a molecule so that information may be written to the molecule using a time-varying polarized electron current selectively derived from the polarized electron current sources.

An molecular quantum memory apparatus comprises: a source of polarized electron current; a source of oppositely polarized electron current; a probe assembly including a first probe tip and a second probe tip, the first and the second probe tips electrically configured for selectively coupling with an individual molecule of an array of molecules; and a switch mechanism having a switch, the switch mechanism coupled with the first probe tip for applying a non-direct-current time-varying polarized electron current to the first probe tip by selectively coupling either the source of polarized electron current or the source of oppositely polarized electron current with the first probe tip.

The apparatus contains an  array of molecules that are single molecule magnets (SMMs).  The apparatus has a first probe tip that is capable of conveying the non-direct-current time-varying polarized electron current to the individual molecule of the array of molecules. The apparatus contains a second probe tip that  is operable to convey electron current primarily from the individual molecule of the array of molecules.

 FIG. 1A illustrates an example system suitable for implementing molecular quantum memory;

FIG. 1B illustrates portions of the system of FIG. 1A in greater detail;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating an example process for implementing molecular quantum memory

Typical magnetic memory devices utilize strong magnetic fields produced by imbedded conductors to manipulate magnetic domains in the memory element material. Frequently the material used to form magnetic memory devices, such as magnetic random access memory (MRAM), responds in a bulk fashion to these strong magnetic fields. The use of magnetic field coupling and bulk ferromagnetic memory material limits the practical application of MRAM.

On the other hand, molecular memory materials, including those molecules in which multiple magnetic memory states can be selectively addressed using spin-state transitions, present an attractive alternative to MRAM devices. However, while molecular memory nuclear spin states may be addressed using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), such an approach requires large magnetic fields and radio frequency (RF) excitation techniques.