Abstract: In a ferroelectric data processing device for processing and/or storage of data with passive or electrical addressing a data-carrying medium is used in the form of a thin film (1) of ferroelectric material which by an applied electric field is polarized to determined polarization states or switched between these and is provided as a continuous layer in or adjacent toelectrode structures in the form of a matrix. A logic element (4) is formed at the intersection between an x electrode (2) and a y electrode (3) of the electrode matrix. The logic element (4) is addressed by applying to the electrodes (2, 3) a voltage greater than the coercivity field of the ferroelectric material.

Abstract: A method for generating electrically conducting and/or semiconducting structures in three dimensions in a matrix that includes two or more materials in spatially separated material structures is disclosed. An electric field is applied to the separate material structure and the field is modulated spatially according to a protocol. The protocol represents a predetermined pattern of electrically conducting and/or semiconducting structures that are generated in the material structure in response to the field. The matrix composed by the material structures includes structures of this kind in three dimensions. A method for global erasing is also disclosed, wherein an electric field is applied to the matrix until the materials in the matrix, in their entirety, arrive in a non-conducting state in response to the field.

Abstract: A field-effect transistor is made with electrodes (2, 4, 5) and isolators (3) in vertically provided layers, such that at least the electrodes (4, 5) and the isolators (3) form a step (6) oriented vertically relative to the first electrode (2) or the substrate (1). Implemented as a junction field-effect transistor (JFET) or a metal-oxide semiconducting field-effect transistor (MOSFET) the electrodes (2, 5) forming respectively the drain and source electrode of the field-effect transistor or vice versa and the electrode (4) the gate electrode of the field-effect transistor. Over the layers in the vertical step (6) an amorphous, polycrystalline or microcrystalline inorganic or organic semiconductor material is provided and forms the active semiconductor of the transistor contacting the gate electrode (8) directly or indirectly and forming a vertically oriented transistor channel (9) of the p or n type between the first (2) and the second (5) electrode.

Abstract: A device for providing addressability in an apparatus including one or more volume elements which together with the device form part of a matrix in the apparatus. The device establishes an electrical connection to specific cells by electrodes in the matrix and thereby defining a cell in the volume element. The device includes at least three sets of plural strip-like electrodes, the strip-like electrodes of each set being provided in substantially parallel relationship to each other in a two-dimensional and planar layer forming an additional part of the matrix. A set of strip-like electrodes in one layer is oriented at an angle to the projected angle of orientation of the electrode sets in proximal neighboring layers onto this one layer, such that the sets of strip-like electrodes in proximal neighboring layers exhibit a mutual non-orthogonal relationship.

Abstract: Electrically conducting and/or semiconducting structures are generated in three dimensions in a composite matrix including two or more materials provided in spatially separate and homogenous material structures. Materials undergo specific physical and/or chemical changes causing transition from electrically non-conducing to electrically conducting and semiconducting state. The material structures are radiated with a given intensity or frequency characteristic adapted to the specific response of the material. Spatially modulating the radiation according to a protocol representing a pattern of electrically conducing and semiconducting structures in the relevant material structures generates the two dimensional electrically conducting and semiconducting structures in the material structure. The composite matrix is provided with electrically conducting and semiconducting structures in three dimensions. Spectral ranges of the radiation include gamma, x-ray, ultraviolet, visible light, inferred, and microwave.

Abstract: In an electrode device for addressing a functional element a layer of electrical isolating materials is provided between first and second electrodes intersecting without direct physical or electrical contact and forming a bridge structure. Over both electrodes an electrical conducting or semiconducting contact layer of organic material is provided and contacts both electrodes electrically. In an electrode device with detecting, information storing and/or information indicating function an electrically addressable functional element is provided adjacent to or in the intersection between the electrodes. In an electrode device including two or more electrode device, the electrodes form patterned layers of row and column electrodes in a 2-dimensional matrix, wherein the contact layer forms a patterned or integrated global layer and functional elements which each registers with an electrode intersection in the matrix, are provided in one or more patterned or non-patterned layers.

Abstract: In a multistable optical logic element with a light-sensitive organic material (1) which undergoes a photocycle with several physical states by irradiation with light, and wherein a physical state is assigned a logical value which can be changed by addressing the element optically, the element initially before the addressing is in a metastable state generated in advance. A multistable optical logic element has been made proximity-addressable by providing at least a color light source (2) for optical addressing and at least one color-sensitive optical detector (5) adjacent to the light-sensitive material. In a method for preparing of the light-sensitive material (1) a desired initial metastable state is generated in the photocycle and assigned a determined logical value for the element.

Abstract: In writing of optical data in an optical memory, the optical memory is linearly transported along a path past two or more physically separated write units. The two write units are provided at a distance from one another along the path and are mutually stepwise displaced in the path's transverse direction. The distance along the path separating write units is greater than a width of a preceding write unit. Each write unit is assigned to a section of the optical memory, with the result that the writing data is performed in the transport direction in separate and successive stages. Each stage contributes a fraction of the volume of information to be recorded during the writing.

Abstract: In a method for optical data storage with high density, there are employed as the data carrying medium a number of flat, thin memory components in the form of cards or discs. Two or more of the memory components are arranged in a stack, thus enabling each individual memory component to be manoeuvred in relation to the other memory components by means of a manoeuvring device, and a given memory component is moved in relation to the other memory components in the stack in order to write or read data in a data carrying area on the memory component, which can be addressed optically during the write or read operation without interference from the other memory components. A data carrying medium for use with the method for optical data storage with high density comprises a number of flat, thin memory components in the form of cards or disks.

Abstract: An optical memory element (ME) wherein data are written and read by light incident to the memory element constitutes an integral unit crated by a transparent body. The body includes a light-focusing part and at least one light-sensitive layer, and the light-focusing part focuses the incident light on the light-sensitive layer. In a first method for production of such an optical memory element (ME) the transparent body can be formed from a material with a high refractive index or refractive index gradient, and the light-sensitive layer is formed by the addition of a light-sensitive material by coating or diffusion. In an alternative method for production of the memory element (ME) a transparent body of a material with a low refractive index or refractive index gradient may be employed, and the light-sensitive layer can be formed on the outside of a transparent cladding layer which is placed on the outside of the body.

Abstract: An electrically addressable passive device for registration, storage and/or processing of data comprises a functional medium (1) in the form of a continuous or patterned structure (S) which may undergo a physical or chemical change of state. The functional medium (1) comprises individually addressable cells (2) which represent a registered or detected value or are assigned a predetermined logical value for the cell. The cell (2) is provided between the anode (3) and cathode (4) in an electrode means (E) which contacts the function medium in the cell and causes an electrical coupling therethrough, the functional medium having a non-linear impedance characteristic, whereby the cell (2) directly can be supplied with energy which effects a change in the state of the cell. In a method for electrical addressing of the passive device wherein the addressing comprises operations for i.a.

Abstract: In an optical data storage medium with a storage area formed from a transparent, homogenous base material and with a number of optically active structures at one side of the storage area, the optically active structures are diffractive optical elements which can focus a beam of light incident on the storage area on to one or more points in the storage area and/or a redirected beam of light or emitted light radiation from this or these points on to a point outside the optical storage medium. During writing/reading of data in the storage medium, the diffractive optical elements are used for focusing the write/read beam in order to generate a data carrying structure or read data stored in such a data carrying structure, respectively.