Holographic Disk Holographic Disk Drives:Drives:

The New Frontier of Data The New Frontier of Data StorageStorage

Today’s Presentation Today’s Presentation Brought To You By:Brought To You By:

Richard RumleyRichard Rumley

IntroductionIntroduction

Holograms and LasersHolograms and Lasers Blu-Ray: The Blu-Ray: The

PredecessorPredecessor What exactly is a What exactly is a

holographic disk?holographic disk? Blue lasers and how it Blue lasers and how it

all works.all works. Potential problems Potential problems

identified.identified. Holographic Technology: Holographic Technology:

Paving the Way For The Paving the Way For The Future of Data StorageFuture of Data Storage

Holograms & LasersHolograms & Lasers

A hologram is a A hologram is a photographic image that photographic image that appears to have depth or appears to have depth or more commonly referred to more commonly referred to as 3-D.as 3-D.

Produced by 2 laser light Produced by 2 laser light beams reflected from two beams reflected from two slightly different reference slightly different reference points similar to how we points similar to how we are able to see in 3-D.are able to see in 3-D.

Developed and printed on Developed and printed on two ultra-thin curved silver two ultra-thin curved silver plates.plates.

Reflection of light from Reflection of light from these 2 plates similar to these 2 plates similar to how a prism works and how a prism works and thus produces a 3-D thus produces a 3-D image.image.

Blu-Ray: The Blu-Ray: The Predecessor of 3-D Predecessor of 3-D

Data StorageData Storage Holographic data Holographic data

storage is made storage is made possible by the possible by the same blue laser same blue laser light that is used in light that is used in Blu-Ray technology.Blu-Ray technology.

The footprint of blue The footprint of blue laser light is much laser light is much smaller than that of smaller than that of red laser light.red laser light.

What Is A Holographic What Is A Holographic Disk?Disk? Developed by Developed by

InPhase Technologies InPhase Technologies a spin off technology a spin off technology from Bell from Bell Laboratories in 2000.Laboratories in 2000.

Blend of 2 polymers.Blend of 2 polymers. One is highly One is highly

photosensitive.photosensitive. Holographic image Holographic image

within the substrate.within the substrate. The protective The protective

cartridge.cartridge.

Blue Lasers & Blue Lasers & How It All WorksHow It All Works

One blue laser light One blue laser light source 2 beams.source 2 beams.– The reference beam The reference beam

which reads the data.which reads the data.– The second “writes” a The second “writes” a

3-D image of the data.3-D image of the data. The spatial light The spatial light

modulator which modulator which translates the data into a translates the data into a “checkerboard” of pixels “checkerboard” of pixels that make up the image.that make up the image.

The media upon which The media upon which the holographic image is the holographic image is recorded.recorded.

Reading & Writing the Reading & Writing the data.data.

Potential Problems Potential Problems IdentifiedIdentified

The holographic The holographic disk’s 50 year disk’s 50 year lifespan. The 8-lifespan. The 8-Track tape a good Track tape a good example of media example of media outliving the outliving the technology.technology.

The price tag for the The price tag for the drive and disks.drive and disks.

Targeted market Targeted market group confusion.group confusion.

Next technological Next technological breakthrough.breakthrough.

Holographic Technology: Holographic Technology: Paving the Way For The Future Paving the Way For The Future

of Data Storageof Data Storage Holographic data storage is still in Holographic data storage is still in

its infancy, with still plenty of room its infancy, with still plenty of room for improvement.for improvement.

With improvement there is little With improvement there is little doubt this technology will have a doubt this technology will have a huge impact on the IT world.huge impact on the IT world.

Just a thought ~ Just a thought ~ Smaller is definitely better!Smaller is definitely better!

Using UV laser light is the future of Using UV laser light is the future of data storage.data storage.

Still far into our future.Still far into our future. Requires manipulation of sub-Requires manipulation of sub-

atomic particles.atomic particles. Not possible with today’s Not possible with today’s

technology.technology. Each new breakthrough brings us Each new breakthrough brings us

another step closer.another step closer.

This Concludes This Concludes Today’s Show!Today’s Show!

Thank You For Your Thank You For Your Attention!Attention!