Three-dimensional optical memory

Two-photon three dimensional optical data storage device comprising:

• a volume of a field-oriented bacteriorhodopsin disposed in a carrier medium, confining means holding said volume, and translating means for moving said confining means in each of a plurality of orthogonal directions;
• first means for generating a beam of radiation at one or both of two predetermined wavelengths, along one predetermined axis and converging the radiation at a predetermined bit cell access location in the volume;
• second means for generating another beam of radiation at one or both of said wavelengths along another predetermined axis and converging the radiation at said predetermined bit cell access location;
• wherein illumination by one of said wavelengths is operative to place the bacteriorhodopsin in the bit cell to a "1" state;
• while illumination by the other of said wavelengths is operative to place the bacteriorhodopsin in the bit cell access location to a complementary "0" state;
• transport electrode means disposed on walls of said confining means for sensing an electrical response of said bacteriorhodopsin to stimulation by illumination from said first means and said second means;
• and control means coupled to said first means, said second means, and said electrode means for actuating a write sequence wherein when said volume is disposed with an addressed bit cell at said predetermined bit cell access location, said first and second means are both simultaneously actuated to inject radiation at one of said wavelengths into said access location, and then conducting a cleaning sequence in which said first and second means are actuated sequentially to inject radiation at the other of said wavelengths separately along their respective axes to reverse the state of some of the bacteriorhodopsin in the bit cells adjacent to said bit cell access location.