Holographic data-storage medium

Use of a data storage medium comprising a self-supporting polymer film which is set up as a storage layer, can be changed locally by heating and which is set up as a top layer of the data storage medium, and comprising an absorber layer which is arranged underneath the self-supporting polymer film and has an absorber dye which is set up to at least partly absorb a write beam serving to write information and to discharge the heat produced by absorbing the write beam at least partly locally to the self-supporting polymer film, as a holographic data storage medium, wherein the data storage medium further comprises a partly transparent reflective layer arranged between the storage layer and the absorber layer.

A method of writing information into a holographic data storage medium comprising a self-supporting polymer film which is set up as a storage layer, which can be changed locally by heating and which is set up as a top layer of the data storage medium, and comprising an absorber layer which is arranged underneath the self-supporting polymer film and has an absorber dye which is set up to at least partly absorb a write beam serving to write information and to discharge the heat produced by absorbing the write beam at least partly locally to the self-supporting polymer film, the data storage medium further comprising a partly transparent reflective layer arranged between the storage layer and the absorber layer, the method comprising calculating holographic information contained in a hologram of a stored object as a two-dimensional array, aiming a write beam from a writing device at one or both of the self-supporting polymer film and the absorber layer of the data storage medium, and driving the write beam of the writing device in accordance with the two-dimensional array such that the local properties of the self-supporting polymer film are set in accordance with the holographic information.

A method of reading information out of a holographic data storage medium comprising a self-supporting polymer film which is set up as a storage layer, which can be changed locally by heating and which is set up as a top layer of the data storage medium, and comprising an absorber layer which is arranged underneath the self-supporting polymer film and has an absorber dye which is set up to at least partly absorb a write beam serving to write information and to discharge the heat produced by absorbing the write beam at least partly locally to the self-supporting polymer film, the data storage medium further comprising a partly transparent reflective layer arranged between the storage layer and the absorber layer, the method comprising aiming light at a large area of the storage layer of the data storage medium and reconstructing the information contained in the irradiated region as a holographic image which is registered at a distance from the data storage medium.