Carbon nanotube tips for thermomechanical data storage

The demonstration of thermomechanical data storage in a poly(methylmethacrylate) film using a multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) tip was reported. MWCNTs grown by arc discharge were mounted on the tips of Si cantilevers using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). It was observed that the power efficiency of indent writing with MWCNT tips was higher than that of conventional silicon tips owing to better heat transfer at the tip-polymer interfaces.