Metal-insulator-semiconductor-insulator-metal information storage system with optical write and read operations

It was demonstrated experimentally that a metal–insulator–semiconductor–insulator–metal (MISIM) structure based on a high-resistivity semiconductor can be used as a memory with optical write and read operations. The power of the light pulses required for the write and read operations was estimated. The storage time at room temperature did not exceed 10^–3 sec, but at 77°K it was in excess of 8 h. Repeated readout of the information was confirmed experimentally. The duration of the read light pulses should not exceed ~10^–8 sec. The information could be erased by switching off the static bias or by applying a field of the polarity opposite to that bias. The write–read–erase cycle time was ~10^–7 sec.