Electrodeposited Twistor and Bit Wire Components

Electrodeposition of ferromagnetic materials on wire is a suitable way of producing magnetic storage elements. One form of this element, when placed under suitable torsional strain (i.e., as a twistor), has magnetic properties suitable for memory application. Through research into the electrodeposition process, a new device has been developed which requires no external stressing. This device has been designated as the ``bit wire.´´ The materials possess the desirable temperature stability usually associated with ferromagnetic metals and exhibit a high signal-to-noise ratio. Both linear selection and coincident current memory arrays have been constructed with bit wire and plated twistors. The switching characteristics and drive requirements are similar for both materials. The significant difference lies in the fabricating technique, since the bit wire requires no stressing. Both devices are packaged, since undesired strains can change their properties. This problem has been minimized by plating the bit wire material on semirigid wire or tubing. The tubular structure offers other advantages, since additional sense, drive, or inhibit wiring may be threaded through the tube.