Fabrication and simulation of silicon nitride cantilever for low power nano-data-storage

Abstract

An AFM tip silicon nitride cantilever was fabricated to observe thermal characteristics in order to increase data writing speed and lower power consumption. By using time dependent resistance and temperature dependent resistance curves of heating tip in experimental results, the changes of temperature on the tip were compared with simulated data. It was found that the thermal time constant of silicon nitride cantilever was 48 mu s at 4 V input for 20 mu s and 37 mu s at 5 V input for 25 mu s. Throughout the design modification, the model which has 0.5 mu m, 2:1, 1000 Omega/square shows the lowest power consumption. By changing the heating time, the power consumption of 0.158 mW and thermal time constant of 75 ns were finally observed.