Nanoscale data storage device of metallofullerene peapods

We studied the energetics and the operations of nonvolatile nano-memory elements based on metallofullerene peapods by using classical molecular dynamics simulations. The system proposed in this work was composed of two carbon nanotubes and metallofullerenes. In classical molecular dynamics simulations, the open ends of two (10, 10) carbon nanotubes were face to face with a separation of 8 A, and the metallofullerenes shuttled between two carbon nanotubes under alternatively applied force fields. When the metallofullerenes were encapsulated in the carbon nanotubes, the electronic properties of the metallofullerene peapods were different from those of the carbon nanotubes. Therefore, these changes could be detected by a current flow change; then, the bit classifications could be done by using metallofullerene shuttle between two carbon nanotubes under applied force fields. Since the metallofullerenes encapsulated in the carbon nanotubes can hardly escape from the carbon nanotubes without external force fields, the proposed system can operate a non-volatile memory device.