Patent ID: 6016267
Filing Date: 2000-01-18
Classification: G11C

Abstract:
A method for storing a plurality of polarization states in a ferroelectric film comprising the steps of:providing a data storage structure comprising a single contiguous layer of ferroelectric material having a first surface and a second surface, an array of first metal plates being disposed on the first surface of the single contiguous ferroelectric layer, wherein each first metal plate in the array corresponds to a single data bit cell comprising a separate spatial region within the single contiguous ferroelectric layer for storing a single bit of data;providing a single contiguous second metal plate disposed on the second surface of the single contiguous ferroelectric layer;applying a voltage across the single contiguous ferroelectric layer by connecting the single contiguous second metal plate to a reference voltage; andconnecting each of said first metal plates to either a positive or negative voltage source, corresponding to the value of a data bit to be stored in the corresponding cell so as to cause positive or negative polarizations of the spatial regions in the single contiguous ferroelectric layer corresponding to the particular first metal plate.