Microcantilevers for Atomic Force Microscope Data Storage describes a research collaboration between IBM Almaden and Stanford University in which a new mass data storage technology was evaluated. This technology is based on the use of heated cantilevers to form submicron indentations on a polycarbonate surface, and piezoresistive cantilevers to read those indentations.
Microcantilevers for Atomic Force Microscope Data Storage describes how silicon micromachined cantilevers can be used for high-density topographic data storage on a simple substrate such as polycarbonate. The cantilevers can be made to incorporate resistive heaters (for thermal writing) or piezoresistive deflection sensors (for data readback).
The primary audience for Microcantilevers for Atomic Force Microscope Data Storage is industrial and academic workers in the microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) area. It will also be of interest to researchers in the data storage industry who are investigating future storage technologies.

1 Introduction.- 1.1 High-density data storage: a survey.- 1.2 Alternative data storage approaches.- 1.3 AFM thermomechanical data storage.- 2 Heater-cantilevers for writing: design, fabrication and basic characterization.- 2.1 Overview.- 2.2 Heater design and fabrication.- 2.3 Thermal writing experiments.- 2.4 Measuring temperature coefficients of resistance.- 2.5 Electrical I-V characteristics.- 2.6 Summary.- 3 Heater-cantilevers for writing: further characterization, modelling and optimization.- 3.1 Overview.- 3.2 Time-domain thermal analysis.- 3.3 Frequency-domain thermal analysis.- 3.4 Heater design optimization.- 3.5 Summary.- 4 Piezoresistive cantilevers for readback.- 4.1 Overview.- 4.2 Piezoresistive cantilever design analysis.- 4.3 Piezoresistive cantilever fabrication.- 4.4 Characterization of piezoresistive cantilevers.- 4.5 Summary.- 5 Dual axis piezoresistive cantilevers: design, fabrication and characterization.- 5.1 Overview.- 5.2 Dual-axis cantilever design.- 5.3 Dual-axis cantilever fabrication.- 5.4 Dual-axis cantilever characterization.- 5.5 Summary.- 6 Dual-axis piezoresistive cantilevers for tracking: applications.- 6.1 Overview.- 6.2 AFM data tracking.- 6.3 Lateral force microscopy.- 6.4 Summary.- 7 Conclusion and future work.- 7.1 Summary of results.- 7.2 Future improvements.- Appendix 1 Heater-cantilever fabrication process.- Appendix 2 Piezoresistive cantilever fabrication process.- Appendix 3 Dual-axis piezoresistive cantilever fabrication process.