Three-dimensional optical memory with fluorescent photosensitive material
OwnerEugen Pavelinventor
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Abstract
This invention relates to a three-dimensional optical memory made from a fluorescent photosensitive material, and a method and device for the storage and retrieval of information on the three-dimensional optical memory. The fluorescent photosensitive material can be glass and vitroceramic, both of which exhibit both fluorescent and photosensitive properties. Both one-photon and two-photon processes can be used for writing and reading the digital information on to the three-dimensional optical memory, in conjunction with a confocal microscope. A high reading sensitivity is obtained by using fluorescence during the reading cycle.
Claims71
A three-dimensional optical memory comprising fluorescent photosensitive glass, wherein said glass comprises at least one of two or more rare earths selected from the group consisting of ytterbium (Yb), samarium (Sm), and combinations thereof;
- and at least one of two or more rare earths selected from a group consisting of erbium (Er), holmium (Ho), samarium (Sm), dysprosium (Dy), Terbium (Tb), neodymium (Nd) and combinations thereof.
A three-dimensional optical memory comprising fluorescent photosensitive vitroceramic, wherein said vitroceramic comprises one or more photosensitizing metals and one or more rare earths, one or more photosensitizing metals is selected from the group consisting of gold (Au), copper (Cu) and combinations thereof;
- and one or more rare earths is selected from the group consisting praseodymium (Pr), dysprosium (Dy), erbium (Er), holmium (Ho), europium (Eu), thulium (Tm) and combinations thereof.
A data storage and retrieval system for storing information on, and retrieving information from, a three-dimensional fluorescent photosensitive optical memory, said system comprising:
- (a) a first coherent light beam generator in the form of a first Ti:sapphire laser for generating a first coherent light beam;
- (b) a second coherent light beam generator in the form of a second Ti:sapphire laser for generating a second coherent light beam;
- and
- c) an optical positioning system for directing said first coherent light beam and said second coherent light beam to irradiate an individually selected volume of said optical memory to produce a change in fluorescence characteristics in said selected volume.
A data storage and retrieval system for storing information on, and retrieving information from, a three-dimensional fluorescent photosensitive optical memory, said system comprising:
- (a) a first coherent light beam generator for generating a first coherent light beam;
- (b) a second coherent light beam generator for generating a second coherent light beam;
- and
- c) an optical positioning system for directing said first coherent light beam and said second coherent light beam to irradiate an individually selected volume of said optical memory to produce a change in fluorescence characteristics in said selected volume;
- and
- (d) an optical focusing system comprising a confocal microscope for focusing said first coherent light beam and said second coherent light beam on said optical memory.
A data storage and retrieval system for storing information on, and retrieving information from, a three-dimensional fluorescent photosensitive optical memory, said system comprising:
- (a) a coherent light beam generator for generating a coherent light beam;
- and
- (b) an optical positioning system for directing said coherent light beam to irradiate an individually selected volume of said optical memory to produce a change in fluorescence characteristics in said selected volume.
A data retrieval system for reading information from a three-dimensional fluorescent photosensitive optical memory, said retrieval system comprising:
- (a) a reading light beam generator for generating a reading light beam to excite at least an individually selected volume of said optical memory with said reading light beam at a predetermined reading wavelength;
- and
- (b) a detector for detecting fluorescence in at least said individually selected volume.
A method for retrieving data from a fluorescent photosensitive three-dimensional optical memory, said method comprising:
- (a) generating a reading light beam;
- (b) exciting at least an individually selected volume of said optical memory with said reading light beam at a predetermined reading wavelength;
- and
- c) detecting fluorescence in at least said individually selected volume.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.