High Density Optical Data Storage

The overall long term aim of the program is the commercialization of a low cost ultra high capacity (TByte/disk) removable write once optical disk storage media that can be recorded and readout using low cost laser diodes within a system operating withvery high data rates >300Mbit/s, and fast access times ~200ms. These figures make the proposed near-field multi-layer based system ideally suited for security and reconnaissance systems supporting high-speed data filtering, and content as well as indexbased data searching algorithms. The objectives of the Phase II program is to develop a fully operating scaled down disk drive and associated disk media that relies on near field multilayer recording and demonstrates experimentally the feasibility of theperformance potentials derived in Phase I. We believe such a prototype will be critical for attracting investors to potentially commercialize the technology. We also anticipate that the scaling up of the Phase II prototype to a full scale disk driveprototype during a potential phase III program will significantly shorten the time to market of near field multilayer optical disk drives.The proposed near-field photochromic multi-layer optical data storage approach presents opportunity to launch a seriesof new products targeted for security and reconnaissance systems by the second half of this decade, providing revolutionary performance critically needed for these applications.