Patent ID: 8477551

Claim:
Optical memory comprising: a. a semiconductor wire, a first electrode, a second electrode, a light source, a means for producing a first voltage at said first electrode, a means for producing a second voltage at said second electrode, and a means for determining the presence of an electrical voltage across said first electrode and said second electrode exceeding a predefined voltage; b. said semiconductor wire essentially optically transparent; c. said semiconductor wire having a bandgap less than the energy of the light produced by said light source; d. said light source optically connected to said semiconductor wire; e. said first electrode electrically conductive and electrically insulated from said semiconductor wire; f. said second electrode electrically conductive and electrically insulated from said semiconductor wire; g. said first electrode and said second electrode electrically insulated from each other; h. said first electrode and said second electrode positioned producing an electric field across said semiconductor wire; and i. said first voltage different from said second voltage.