Data storage medium for storing data as a polarization of a data magnetic field and method and apparatus using spin-polarized electrons for storing the data onto the data storage medium and reading the stored data therefrom

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a data storage medium and a method and apparatus for storing data onto the data storage medium and reading the stored data therefrom that substantially obviate one or more of the problems due to the limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
Features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.
The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the method and apparatus particularly pointed out in the written description and claims thereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described, in a first aspect, the invention provides for a data storage medium comprising a substrate; a data storage layer formed on the substrate, the data storage layer including a fixed number of atomic layers of a magnetic material, the fixed number of atomic layers providing the data storage layer with a magnetic anisotropy perpendicular to a surface of the data storage layer; and a data magnetic field created in the data storage layer, the data magnetic field being polarized either in a first direction perpendicular to the surface of the data storage layer and corresponding to a first data value or in a second direction opposite the first direction and corresponding to a second data value.
In a second aspect, the invention provides for a method of storing data as a direction of polarization of a data magnetic field comprising the steps of providing a spin-polarized electron having an electron magnetic field, the electron magnetic field having a direction of polarization corresponding to one of first and second data values; and directing the spin-polarized electron through an electrically nonconductive environment at the data magnetic field to impart the direction of polarization of the electron magnetic field to the data magnetic field