Holographic Memory and Storage
Holographic Data Storage Promises Terabytes on a Single CD
In traditional CD and DVD storage a beam of laser light burns a marker onto the surface of a specially coated disc. The limitation of this method is that such burners are limited to printing data on the surface of the disc and the amount of data is finite.
Even the newest Blu-Ray DVD's top out at a theoretical maximum of 50 GB per disc. In the May 2008 issue of Discover Magazine writer Stephen Cass reported that the new Tapestry 300r holographic drive from InPhase Technologies can record nearly one terabyte (1000 GB) of data on a single CD sized disc.
How Holographic Data Storage Works
Many years ago Stanley Kubrick wrote the immortal science fiction epic, 2001 A Space Odyssey. In the movie the star homicidal maniac (a computer named HAL) was built using holographic memory to store the immense amounts of data required to make a "sentient" computer.
Although the geometrical appearance of current holographic memory storage is quite different (HAL used rectangular crystal blocks of memory versus the current circular CD style holographic discs) the principal behind both of these fictional and real world memory storage devices is quite commonplace.
Instead of having only the surface of a storage medium to write data onto a holographic disc hundreds or thousands of layers stacked on top of each other on the same disc. Two lasers along with mirrors and other optics focus on microscopic points inside the holographic disc, writing and reading data at incredible speeds. In real world applications the technology as it stands now could transfer an entire feature length movie in less than thirty seconds.
Holographic Memory In Consumer Computer Products
Once holographic technology truly comes of age it will revolutionize more than just current optical storage on CD and DVD. Once holographic data storage is incorporated into desktop computer memory systems SATA hard drives will go the way of magnetic tape and paper punch cards.
Still, the advent of affordable, desktop holographic data storage is a long way off. The only currently marketed holographic memory system sells for nearly $18,000 and is being sold primarily to media producers such as television and radio stations.
Although the first commercial holographic storage devices are now available, InPhase is the only company currently marketing them. Like all technology advances however, prices, sizes, and usability will improve over time, especially with the insatiable appetite that the world currently has for digital information in all of its forms.
