Researchers have discovered how to create the first commercially viable, glass discs that use a new laser writing method to store up to 500 terabytes of data. The breakthrough could revolutionize CD-sized music or high-definition movies in the future.
ORC Southampton (photo)
The University of Southampton in the United Kingdom has devised a fast and energy-efficient laser writing process that puts high-capacity, glass-based optical storage closer to reality. The proposed media is described as “5D” optical data storage and consists of CD-sized glass discs that are more than 10,000 times denser than Blu-ray discs. They have the capacity to store up to 500 terabytes of data.
University of Southampton image
Optica, a scientific organization dedicated to optical research and education, has released the following statement:
Although 5D optical data storage in transparent materials has previously been shown, writing data quickly and densely enough for real-world applications has proven difficult. The researchers utilized a femtosecond laser with a high repetition rate to construct small holes containing a single nanolamella-like structure measuring only 500 by 50 nanometers apiece to overcome this obstacle. […]
With their innovative technology, the researchers were able to copy 5 terabytes of text data onto a silica glass disc around the size of a normal compact disc with about 100% reading accuracy. Every two voxels corresponded to a text character, and each voxel carried four bits of information. The disc could carry 500 terabytes of data with the writing density provided by the technology. According to the researchers, upgrading the system to enable simultaneous writing should allow them to write this quantity of data in around 60 days.
“As individuals and businesses generate greater information, there is a pressing need for more effective data storage with high capacity, low energy consumption, and a long lifespan,” said Yuhao Lei, a PhD researcher at the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom. “While cloud-based solutions are better for storing transitory data, we think that 5D data storage in glass might be valuable for long-term data storage for national archives, museums, libraries, and other private organizations.”
Optica is the source of this information.
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