An atomic force microscope tip writes data in stable ferroelectric structures, enabling reliable multistate storage at extremely small scales in this illustration. Credit: Morgan Manning/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy

Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have used specialized tools to study materials at the atomic scale and analyze defects at the surface of ferroelectric materials. Results of their research help to better understand these materials used for advanced electronics, enabling innovative data storage and computation methods.

The study is published in the journal ACS Nano.

The team modified a commercial atomic force microscope with artificial intelligence to precisely assemble and detect patterns in bismuth ferrite. This method avoids invasive electrode deposition, which complicates the process and restricts how small the structures can be.

"We can use the atomic force microscopy tip to align the electric polarization at the nanoscale, so we can write, read and erase these patterns known as topological structures on demand," said Marti Checa, the study’s leader.

This proof-of-concept highlights how multistate information manipulation boosts information storage potential. Building on ORNL’s work in nanoscale materials, this research aligns with ongoing innovations enhancing memory technologies.

More information: Marti Checa et al, Autonomous Multistate Nanoencoding Using Combinatorial Ferroelectric Closure Domains in BiFeO3, ACS Nano (2025). DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.5c07423

Citation: Ferroelectric materials boost data storage potential (2026, January 6) retrieved 6 January 2026 from https://phys.org/news/2026-01-ferroelectric-materials-boost-storage-potential.html

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