Process for manufacturing optical data storage disk stamper

A process for manufacturing an optical data storage disk stamper, comprising the steps of:

• providing a chemically vapor-deposited, silicon carbide substrate having a toughness of at least about 2 MPa.sqroot.m;
• depositing a negative photoresist having a thickness in a range of about 0.1 to 2 .mu.m on a surface of said substrate;
• exposing said photoresist with a laser to form a negative, data pattern in said photoresist;
• developing said photoresist;
• neutral ion machining said substrate, such that a spiral track of at least one ridge and at least one land is formed in said substrate, wherein each of said ridges has a height of about in a range of 20 to 200 nm;
• and
• stripping said developed photoresist.

A process for manufacturing an optical data storage disk stamper, comprising the steps of:

• providing an ion machinable ceramic substrate having a toughness of at least about 2 MPa.sqroot.m;
• depositing a first layer of glass on a surface of said substrate
• depositing a second layer of photoresist on said first layer;
• exposing said photoresist with a source of electromagnetic energy to form a data pattern in said photoresist;
• developing said photoresist;
• etching said data pattern in said first layer to form a glass mask;
• and
• neutral ion machining said data pattern through said glass mask such that a spiral track of at least one ridge and at least one land is formed in said substrate.