A novel method of optical data storage could soon be used to hold a terabyte of data on a disk the size of a normal DVD, say researchers at Imperial College London, UK.
They developed a type of disk that incorporates angled ridges within the pits in order to subtly alter the polarity of the light that gets reflected. This can be used to store 10 times� more data than is currently possible, they say.
Using the technique, the researchers think it should be possible to create disks capable of holding 250 gigabytes in a single layer. This is enough to store 118 hours of video, which could allow every episode of long-running television shows to be put on one disk. Using a four-layer disk would mean a terabyte could be stored.
The researchers say information could be encoded using 10 different angles of slope, corresponding to 10 bits of information in each indent. Provided funding can be found, the team believes it should take about five years to perfect the technology and a commercial version could be available by 2010.
Munro also says they have not yet determined out how a consumer writing device could be made. But he believes this could be seen as a bonus. “Creating pirate disks would be very difficult unless you bought the mastering equipment,” he says.
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