| CPC G11B 9/02 (2013.01) [G11C 11/22 (2013.01); G11C 11/221 (2013.01); G11C 11/5657 (2013.01); G11B 2005/0002 (2013.01)] | 5 Claims |

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1. A ferroelectric storage apparatus comprising:
a ferroelectric recording medium;
a conductive probe;
a probe slider configured to cause the conductive probe to travel by floating above a surface of the ferroelectric recording medium;
a ferroelectric recording medium driver configured to rotate the ferroelectric recording medium; and
a recording-and-reproduction signal processor configured to process a write signal and a read signal of information transmitted to and received from the conductive probe,
wherein the conductive probe includes:
a base body constituted by a conductive material;
an insulating layer formed on the base body and includes a through hole; and
a needle-shaped electrode formed on the base body in the through hole and electrically connected to the recording-and-reproduction signal processor,
wherein the needle-shaped electrode is configured to write information to the ferroelectric recording medium by polarizing a ferroelectric layer of the ferroelectric recording medium by an electric field generated at a tip of the needle-shaped electrode,
wherein the needle-shaped electrode is configured to read information recorded in the ferroelectric recording medium by detecting a tunnel current flowing between the needle-shaped electrode and the ferroelectric recording medium or by detecting an atomic force between the needle-shaped electrode and the ferroelectric recording medium, and
wherein a portion of the needle-shaped electrode protrudes from a surface of the insulating layer.
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