Systems and methods of securing access and readability of optically stored data

An optical data system, comprising:

• an optical storage medium, wherein the optical storage medium includes one or more crystal structures;
• a watermark region of the optical storage medium, wherein the watermark region is encoded with an encryption key for decoding embedded data stored on the optical storage medium, and wherein the watermark region is encoded with the encryption key via a state change between a first crystal structure of the one or more crystal structures of the optical storage medium and a second crystal structure;
• a base configured to support the optical storage medium and rotate the optical storage medium about an axis;
• a laser system comprising one or more lasers configured to focus light on or through one or more surfaces of the optical storage medium, and one or more detectors configured to read the embedded data stored in the second crystal structure of the watermark region of the optical storage medium based on the light interacting with the optical storage medium;
• a control system comprising one or more processors;
• and
• memory storing instructions executable by the control system to cause the control system to:
• control rotation of the optical storage medium about the axis;
• control the laser system to focus the light on the watermark region and control the one or more detectors to read the encryption key based on an interaction of the light with the watermark region;
• control the laser system to focus the light on other locations on or within the optical storage medium and control the one or more detectors to read the embedded data;
• and
• generate computer readable data using the encryption key to decrypt the embedded data read by the one or more detectors.

A method comprising:

• controlling, via a control system, rotation, levitation, or both of an optical storage medium via magnets of a base;
• controlling, via the control system, a laser system to read data within a watermark region of the optical storage medium and to read embedded data within a bulk storage region of the optical storage medium during rotation, levitation, or both of the optical storage medium;
• determining, via the control system, an encryption key based on the data within the watermark region of the optical storage medium;
• and
• generating, via the control system, decrypted and readable data using the encryption key to decrypt the embedded data read from the bulk storage region of the optical storage medium.