An Experimental, High Density Optical Memory. Part II: Electron Spin Dependent Trapping and Tunneling Processes in KCl and KCl:NaCl

摘要

An experimental, high density optical memory using the M(A) center in KCl:NaCl has been built to study the application of color centers as read, write, and erase computer bulk memories. The M(A) center is employed as a binary indicator by making use of its ability to reorientate in the KCl:NaCl lattice when excited with either vertically or horizontally polarized 531 nm light. Information is read out with circularly polarized 531 nm light. Studies on the initial system indicate that both writing times of less than 4 microsecond duration and packing densities exceeding 10 to the 6th power bits/sq cm will be possible in a fully developed system. Studies have also been made on the M+(A) center, an ionized M(A) center involved in the reorientation process of the M(A) center. (Author)