Archival information storage by selective electron beam melting of structured targets
James A. Oro, John C. Wolfe · Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B Microelectronics Processing and Phenomena · 1987
We demonstrate archival information storage by electron beam melting of selected elements within a two dimensional array of gold columns. The individual columns were 60 nm in diameter, 270 nm in height, and spaced on 130 nm centers. These columns could be selectively melted with a 40 nm diam, 175 nA, 7 kV electron beam in times less than 60 ns. Upon melting, the columns become spherical droplets with 120 nm diameter. The encoding is binary; partial melting does not occur.