High-Resolution Optical Storage by Use of Minute Spheres

by Naoki Kobayashi & Chikara Egami Optics Letters, 1 Feb 2005 We have developed a new optical storage system that uses minute spheres arranged upon a surface-relief grating. By using dye-doped minute spheres as recording bits we can limit a sensitive region within a sphere's diameter. Using a reflection-type confocal optical system, we read out shape signals from minute spheres at high resolution. The shape signals from minute spheres are utilized as clock signals in recording and readout. Read the article