Abstract

The optical disk has become a viable candidate for archival mass digital data storage systems. The write-once read-many-times characteristic of today’s laser-ablated structures is well suited to data bases that must remain intact for many years. The materials used in optical disks allow for potentially long periods of storage without stringent environmental controls. The high-storage densities associated with diffraction-limited optical systems provide a cost per recorded bit that is an order of magnitude lower than with any other media.

© 1983 Optical Society of America