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An optical memory comprising a doping modulated multilayer made of amorphous semiconductor, and at least two electrodes, one of the electrodes being transparent and the multilayer being sandwiched between two electrodes. Data is written by increasing the electrical conductance of the amorphous semic

An optical memory comprising a doping modulated multilayer made of amorphous semiconductor, and at least two electrodes, one of the electrodes being transparent and the multilayer being sandwiched between two electrodes. Data is written by increasing the electrical conductance of the amorphous semiconductor by irradiating it with light. Data is erased by the application of a bias voltage to the electrodes and also by irradiating the amorphous semiconductor with light having photon energy of approximately half or less of the optical energy band gap of the amorphous semiconductor. The memory effect can be maintained for a week or longer, and the memory can be erased without heating the memory device, whereby the lifetime of the device is lengthened.

대표청구항 ▼

An optical memory device for storage of information comprising: storage means comprising a reversible doping modulated multilayer amorphous semiconductor element for changing for an extended period from a first value of an electrical characteristic to a second value of said electrical characteristic

An optical memory device for storage of information comprising: storage means comprising a reversible doping modulated multilayer amorphous semiconductor element for changing for an extended period from a first value of an electrical characteristic to a second value of said electrical characteristic in response to exposure to activating light of a selected frequency and for returning to the first value in response to application of a restore bias voltage across the storage means; at least a pair of electrodes, at least one of which is transparent to the light, coupled to the storage means and configured such that the storage means is sandwiched between the transparent electrode and at lease one other of the electrodes. The method of claim 14 wherein at least one electrode is transparent, and wherein the step of storing data comprises exposing the semiconductor element to light transmitted through the transparent electrode. A method of storing and erasing data in an optical memory comprising a reversible doping modulated multilayer amorphous semiconductor element having a characteristic optical energy band gap and having at least a pair of electrodes coupled to the semiconductor element, the method comprising the steps of: changing an electrical characteristic of the semiconductor element for an extended period by exposing the semiconductor element to light having photon energy approximately greater than the optical energy band gap of the semiconductor element; and, restoring the electrical characteristic of the semiconductor element by exposing the semiconductor element to light having photon energy less than approximately one half of the optical energy band gap of the semiconductor element.