Optical storage system based on scanning interferometric near-field confocal microscopy

An optical storage system comprising:

• a write beam source providing at least one write beam;
• a reference beam source providing at least one reference beam;
• an optical storage medium;
• a mask having an aperture positioned to couple at least a portion of the at least one write beam and at least a portion of the at least one reference beam to the optical storage medium, the aperture having a dimension smaller than the wavelength of the at least one write beam;
• a confocal imaging system positioned to couple the at least one write beam and the at least one reference beam to the mask;
• and
• an electromagnet positioned adjacent the optical storage medium.

A method for reading information from an optical storage medium comprising:

• separating an input beam into a measurement beam and a reference beam;
• directing the measurement beam to a mask comprising at least one aperture having a dimension smaller than the wavelength of the input beam, wherein the mask aperture couples at least a portion of the measurement beam to the optical storage medium to define a near-field probe beam, the storage medium interacting with the near-field probe beam to define a near-field signal beam;
• and
• measuring optical interference between at least a portion of the reference beam and at least a portion of the near-field signal beam.