Patent ID: 8687418

Claim:
A method of storing digital information in a storage unit comprising: operating a storage unit having: a first N-diffusion well and a second N-diffusion well, the first and second N-diffusion wells separated by a P-substrate; a first isolation layer formed upon the first and second N-diffusion wells and the P-substrate; a graded nano-pillar charge trap layer including a nano-pillar charge trap layer formed upon the first isolation layer comprising conductive nano-pillars interspersed between non-conducting regions, the conductive nano pillars being cylindrical or spherical in shape being made of material comprising: Cobalt (Co), Iron (Fe), and Nickel (Ni); a second isolation layer formed upon the nano-pillar charge trap layer; and at least one word line formed upon the second isolation layer; wherein the nano-pillar charge trap layer is adapted to: operate in a first mode having associated therewith a first potential, upon application of a threshold current through the at least one word line, and to operate in a second mode, wherein charge is stored on the nano-pillars of the nano-pillar charge trap layer, and having associated therewith a second potential; wherein during the first mode, a first bit value is stored in the storage unit, and during the second mode, a second bit value is stored in the storage unit.