Quasi-Phase-Matched Second-Harmonic Generation in Lithium Tantalate Waveguides : Experiments and Simulations

In its most general definition, optical data storage is simply using light as a tool to store and retrieve data. Optical data storage is found in popular consumer products. Compact Discs (CDs), Digital Versatile Discs (DVDs), and MiniDiscs (MDs), are all forms of optical data storage. More advanced forms of optical data storage include high‐speed devices and library products. All optical data storage devices use optical principles to achieve high data density, rugged packaging, reliable information retrieval, and cost‐effective production. There are many forms of optical storage media and many types of optical systems used to scan data. This chapter discusses the basic principles of optical data storage, types of commercial optical media available in 2003, several performance parameters, and some interesting prospects for future systems.

This report is based on a BES Workshop on Compact Light Sources, held May 11-12, 2010, to evaluated the advantages and disadvantages of compact light source approaches and compared their performance to the third generation storage rings and free-electron lasers. The workshop examined the state of the technology for compact light sources and their expected progress. The workshop evaluated the cost efficiency, user access, availability, and reliability of such sources. Working groups evaluated the advantages and disadvantages of Compact Light Source (CLS) approaches, and compared their performance to the third-generation storage rings and free-electron lasers (FELs). The primary aspects of comparison were 1) cost effectiveness, 2) technical availability v. time frame, and 3) machine reliability and availability for user access. Five categories of potential sources were analyzed: 1) inverse Compton scattering (ICS) sources, 2) mini storage rings, 3) plasma sources, 4) sources using plasma-based accelerators, and 5) laser high harmonic generation (HHG) sources. Compact light sources are not a substitute for large synchrotron and FEL light sources that typically also incorporate extensive user support facilities. Rather they offer attractive, complementary capabilities at a small fraction of the cost and size of large national user facilities. In the far term they may offer the potential for a new paradigm of future national user facility. In the course of the workshop, we identified overarching R&D topics over the next five years that would enhance the performance potential of both compact and large-scale sources: Development of infrared (IR) laser systems delivering kW-class average power with femtosecond pulses at kHz repetition rates. These have application to ICS sources, plasma sources, and HHG sources. Development of laser storage cavities for storage of 10-mJ picosecond and femtosecond pulses focused to micron beam sizes. Development of high-brightness, high-repetition-rate electron sources. Development of continuous wave (cw) superconducting rf linacs operating at 4 K, while not essential, would reduce capital and operating cost.

An approach for multibit‐per‐site optical data storage has been proposed and demonstrated using mesostructured composite films incorporated with uniformly dispersed photoacid generator and pH‐sensitive dye molecules. Upon light illumination, photoacid generator molecules produce acid, which induces a change in the absorption property of pH‐sensitive dye molecules. Because the amount of the generated acid is proportional to the illumination time, the resulting change in the absorption property of mesostructured composite films varies as a function of the illumination time. This function between the absorption property of mesostructured composite films and the illumination time can be used for multibit‐per‐site optical data storage. Recording is performed by using certain discrete values of the illumination time to represent information bits. Reading out is achieved by measuring the absorbance of composite films at a particular wavelength, from which the stored information bits can be determined. In general, N‐bit‐per‐site storage can be realized using 2N discrete values of the illumination time. This multibit‐per‐site approach for optical data storage is compatible with the current single‐bit‐per‐site technology used for compact disks and digital versatile disks, and will provide significantly larger optical storage capacity. It is also suitable for two‐photon multilayer optical data storage if the photoacid generators and pH‐sensitive dyes are properly designed.

Electron-trapping materials have attracted a lot of attention in the field of optical data storage. However, the lack of suitable trap levels has hindered its development and application in the field of optical data storage. Herein, Lu3Al5O12:Ce3+ fluorescent ceramics were developed as the optical storage medium, and high-temperature vacuum sintering induced the formation of deep traps (1.36 eV). The matrix based on the garnet-structured material ensures excellent rewritability. By analyzing the thermoluminescence and photostimulable luminescence, it is found that the transition of electrons provided by Ce3+ between the conduction band and trap levels offers the possibility for optical data storage. As evidence of its application, the optical information encoding using 254 nm light and decoding using a light stimulus and thermal stimulus were applied. These findings are expected to provide candidate material for novel optical storage technology, and further promote the development of advanced information storage technology.

Compact high-efficiency ultraviolet solid-state light sources--such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and laser diodes--are of considerable technological interest as alternatives to large, toxic, low-efficiency gas lasers and mercury lamps. Microelectronic fabrication technologies and the environmental sciences both require light sources with shorter emission wavelengths: the former for improved resolution in photolithography and the latter for sensors that can detect minute hazardous particles. In addition, ultraviolet solid-state light sources are also attracting attention for potential applications in high-density optical data storage, biomedical research, water and air purification, and sterilization. Wide-bandgap materials, such as diamond and III-V nitride semiconductors (GaN, AlGaN and AlN; refs 3-10), are potential materials for ultraviolet LEDs and laser diodes, but suffer from difficulties in controlling electrical conduction. Here we report the successful control of both n-type and p-type doping in aluminium nitride (AlN), which has a very wide direct bandgap of 6 eV. This doping strategy allows us to develop an AlN PIN (p-type/intrinsic/n-type) homojunction LED with an emission wavelength of 210 nm, which is the shortest reported to date for any kind of LED. The emission is attributed to an exciton transition, and represents an important step towards achieving exciton-related light-emitting devices as well as replacing gas light sources with solid-state light sources.

Thermal engineering of electron-trapping materials for “Smart-Write-In” optical data storage

Structure and properties of amorphous thin film for optical data storage

Upon excitation of high intensity linearly polarized femtosecond laser, a blue-shifted two-photon induced photoproduct named F540 state with permanent photo-induced anisotropy is observed in bacteriorhodopsin (BR) films. Based on the F-state, permanent optical data storage can be realized with spatial field modulation of femtosecond laser. By using a phase-only spatial light modulator to modulate the spatial phase distribution of the incident femtosecond laser beam, we generate spot-patterns in the focal plane of the microscopic objective lens, and the patterns are recorded in the BR film. At the same time, by varying the polarization direction of the excitation laser beam, polarization-multiplexed optical data storage in the BR film is demonstrated, which is applicable to high-density optical data storage and optical information encryption.

Optical data storage (ODS) lenses are mounted with an automatic refocusing mechanism to account for possible variations in the lens-disk distance, e.g., disk wobble. This auto-focus system, however, cannot compensate for laser mode hopping, which occurs on a nanosecond scale. One possible solution is to use frequency stabilized lasers, but these tend to be very expensive. Another option is to correct the longitudinal chromatic aberration of the lens over the spectral bandwidth of the source. Unfortunately, achromatizing the lens using conventional glass requires a positive and negative element, which significantly increases the size and weight of the lens, neither of which is desirable for optical data storage. An alternative option is the use of gradient index glass, and a fourth possible solution is to use a diffractive/refractive hybrid lens, which is the focus of this paper.

Based on the polarization-sensitive absorption of graphene under conditions of total internal reflection, we demonstrate the fabrication and reading of transparent and flexible multi-layer-film optical data storage media based on graphene recording layers. We report a realization of the process of data writing-transferring-reading by repeatedly transferring recorded graphene and its strong polarization effect. The reading results show a high signal-to-noise ratio and stability and low crosstalk interference between the layers. In addition, the graphene-based multi-layer-film optical data storage medium has a high transparency and flexibility. The high signal-to-noise ratio remains stable after the structure is bent 1000 times.

We report the experimental observation of optical data storage by frequency-selective stimulated spin echoes based on electromagnetically induced transparency in an inhomogeneously broadened rare-earth-doped solid. We find that the spin dephasing time T(2) is almost constant in the range 2-6 K, whereas the optical T(2) shortens rapidly above 4 K. This experiment demonstrates the potential of spin echoes excited by electromagnetically induced transparency for higher-capacity optical data storage at higher temperature.

Cu3N films for optical data storage were deposited on Si(100) wafers and 0.6 mm thick polycarbonate DVD base material discs at a temperature of 50 °C by reactive magnetron sputtering. A copper target was sputtered in rf mode in a nitrogen plasma. For basic investigations concerning the composition and structure of Cu3N, Si wafers were used as substrate material. To study the suitability of Cu3N as an optical data storage medium under technical conditions, Cu3N/Al bilayers were deposited on polycarbonate discs. The composition and structure of the films were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD).

Photorefractive polymer is a promising material for optical data storage and another photonic applications. In this paper, we review our recent development of erasable 3D bit optical data storage, the formation of micro-cavities and micro-fabrication of waveguide structures in photorefractive polymers.

The Compact Light Source (CLS) is a new type of x-ray source, a miniature synchrotron light source, which has been developed at Lyncean Technologies, Inc. The CLS is a near-monochromatic, tunable, homelab-size x-ray source with up to three beamlines that can be used like the x-ray beamlines at the synchrotrons--but it is about 200 times smaller than a synchrotron light source. The compact size is achieved using a laser undulator and a miniature electron-beam storage ring. The photon flux on a sample will be comparable to the flux of highly productive synchrotron beamlines. This presentation will first introduce the basic principles of the Compact Light Source and show how it can bring the quality, tunability and flux of a synchrotron beam line into an x-ray scientist’s local laboratory. At Lyncean Technologies, Inc. we have recently completed the construction of a production prototype source with funding from theNIGMS Protein Structure Initiative. The presentation will show details of the electron storage ring, laser system and x-ray optics and conclude with results of our initial testing of the prototype CLS and x-ray optics. m10.o02

Multi-layered (or three-dimensional) optical memories have increasingly become a field of interest of interest in the development of a high density optical data storage devices. Systems that utilise multiple layer recording can achieve recording densities from 100 to 10,000 times higher than conventional optical data storage devices.