Apparatus for and methods of addressing data storage elements

A method of addressing a storage element for optical data, the storage element including a layer of materials having electro-optic properties, comprising:

• inducing on a first major surface of the layer a signal corresponding to the optical data;
• and
• effecting ionization of an ionizable gaseous medium in communication with the layer by developing an electrical conduction path through the ionizable gaseous medium to an electrical reference to effect storage of the signal by the storage element and thereby change a property of the layer of electro-optic material in accordance with the optical data.

A method of applying a variable value electrical potential representing a datum to a data storage element, comprising:

• providing an interruptible electrical connection between a variable value electrical potential source and the data storage element by selectively effecting ionization of an ionizable gaseous medium in communication with the data storage element, the ionization of the gaseous medium producing light emission characterized by an intensity and developing an electrical conduction path through the gaseous medium to complete the electrical connection to the potential source and thereby apply a variable value potential representing a datum to the data storage element, the value of the electrical potential applied to the data storage element being independent of the intensity of the light emission produced.

An addressing structure for an analog data storage element, comprising:

• an ionizable gaseous medium in communication with an analog data storage element and an electrical reference;
• and
• ionizing means for selectively effecting ionization of the ionizable gaseous medium to produce light emission characterized by an intensity and thereby provide an interruptible electrical connection between the data storage element and the electrical reference, thereby to selectively address and apply an analog datum to the analog data storage element, the analog datum having a value that is independent of the intensity of the light emission produced.

A method of changing a property of light incident to a data storage element to which an electrical potential representing a datum is applied, comprising:

• providing an interruptible electrical connection between a variable value electrical potential source and the data storage element by selectively effecting ionization of an ionizable gaseous medium in communication with the data storage element, the ionization of the gaseous medium developing an electrical conduction path through the gaseous medium to complete the electrical connection to the potential source and thereby apply a variable value potential representing a datum to the data storage element;
• and
• changing a property of the incident light by causing it to propagate within the data storage element, the change in the property corresponding to the value of the electrical potential applied to the data storage element.

An addressing structure for a data storage element to which an electrical potential representing a datum is applied to change a property of light incident thereto, comprising:

• ionizing means for providing an interruptible electrical connection between a variable value electrical potential source and the data storage element by selectively effecting ionization of an ionizable gaseous medium in communication with the data storage element, the ionization of the gaseous medium developing an electrical conduction path through the gaseous medium to complete the electrical connection to the potential source and thereby apply a variable value potential representing a datum to the data storage element;
• and
• means for changing a property of the incident light by causing it to propagate within the data storage element, the change in the property corresponding to the value of the electrical potential applied to the data storage element.