Patent ID: 8018818

Claim:
A data storage system comprising: a storage medium for storing data, wherein the storage medium has a first surface and stores data as a plurality of topographical features as at least one of indentations, bumps or trenches extending in at least one first direction upwardly or downwardly relative to the first surface; at least one transducer, wherein the at least one transducer writes data on the storage medium; at least one gate, wherein a first voltage bias is applied to the at least one gate; and at least one read head, wherein the at least one read head comprises: at least one supporting structure; at least one cantilever structure connected to and extending away from the supporting structure, the cantilever structure including a tip adapted to move in the at least one first direction at least one of upwardly or downwardly relative to the first surface into or over the plurality of topographical features when reading data stored on the storage medium; and at least one Floating Gate Transistor (FGT), wherein the first voltage bias creates an electric field between the at least one FGT and the at least one gate, a change in the electric field is detected by the at least one FGT, the FGT including a source, a drain and a channel, wherein the tip is displaced from each of the source, the drain, and the channel of the FGT in a direction along the first surface transverse to the at least one first direction.