SBIR Phase I: High-Speed High-Density Optical Disk Data Storage Based On A New Coding Concept

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project studies a new coding technique for high-speed, high-density optical disk data storage. It is well known that conventional optical disk storage is based on recording and readout binary data pits in an optical disk such as compact disk and DVD. The size of these pits that can be recorded and readout optically due to diffraction limitation thus limit the data storage density. The proposed research explores a new coding concept that can facilitate recording and readout many bits of data in a single pit. The data storage density can thus be significantly increased using the same diffraction limited focusing spot size as DVD. The proposed concept is supported by commercially available data recording material to result in a read-only super high-density optical disk. The concept is also supported by a new ion-exchanged photochromic glass to result in an erasable and rewritable disk with excellent room environmental stability and non-processing after data recording. Fast data code recognition using table lookup can improve the data access rate as well. Phase I research will demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed disk storage concept. Phase II will realize a complete disk data storage system. This project will demonstrate the feasibility of a new coding concept for high-speed, high-density optical disk data storage. Using such a coding concept can significantly increase the disk storage density for commercial and military, e.g. on-line storage, library archival applications, image storage and processing for medical applications and military target identification, and fast access to large intelligent databases