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Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics

Progress in frequency domain optical memories

Gary C. Bjorklund, W. E. Moerner, Frank M. Schellenberg

Published Jan 1, 1982• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

For the last few years, there has been considerable research activity at the IBM San Jose Research Laboratory devoted to frequency domain optical memories based upon photochemical hole burning (PHB). The PHB phenomenon allows optical frequency to be utilized as an additional dimension for the organization of optical memories1 and offers the potential of achieving a 103 gain in achievable storage density over conventional optical memories and a factor of 3 × 104 gain over inductive magnetic recording.

DOI
10.1364/cleo.1982.ff1

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Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE•May 19, 1989•4 citations
For the last few years, there has been considerable research activity at the IBM San Jose Research Laboratory devoted to frequency domain optical memories based upon photochemical hole burning (PHB). The PHB phenomenon allows optical frequency to be utilized as an additional dimension for the organization of optical memories1 and offers the potential of achieving a 103 gain in achievable storage density over conventional optical memories and a factor of 3 × 104 gain over inductive magnetic recording.
Persistent spectral hole-burning (PHB, also called photochemical hole-burning) permits use of the optical frequency for encoding digital information through the presence and absence of spectral holes that are burned in inhomogeneously broadened absorption lines at low (liquid helium) temperatures. The optical frequency or wavelength at which a given hole is burned acts as an additional dimension for data storage, hence this optical recording scheme has been called Frequency Domain Optical Storage (FDOS). The combination of spectral and spatial data-recording can make storage densities in excess of 1010 bits/cm2 possible; furthermore, since rotation of the recording medium is not necessary, shorter random access times will result. The future success of the FDOS concept will rely on progress in several technological and engineering areas as well as on advances in several critical materials areas1.
Recently there has been considerable interest in frequency domain optical memories based on the cryogenic phenomenon of photochemical hole burning.1 This phenomenon occurs whenever persistent photochemical changes can be induced by exposure to narrowband optical radiation tuned to a frequency within the inhomogeneously broadened zero phonon line of a photoactive material contained In a host. The narrowband radiation selectively excites that fraction of molecules whose homogeneous linewidth overlaps the excitation frequency. The ensuing photochemical reaction results in a persistent narrow dip or hole in the line shape. Since typical ratios of inhomogeneous- to-homogeneous widths are of the order of 103, 103 resolvable holes can be burned into the inhomogeneous line at each spatial location in the sample. Thus the storage density in such a frequency domain optical memory might ultimately be 103 higher than in a conventional optical memory.
Persistent spectral hole-burning (PHB) is a phenomenon that allows an additional dimension, the frequency at which spectral holes are written, to be used to encode digital data. PHB can be used to store a large number of bits of information in the volume irradiated by a focused laser beam, leading to a possible future storage technology, frequency domain optical storage. A large number of photochemical and photophysical mechanisms have led to the production of spectral holes; a wealth of information has been learned about host-guest interactions, dephasing, and solid-state photochemistry at low temperatures. The general structure of a frequency domain optical store places a set of constraints on the engineering of such a system as well as on the materials used as recording media. The dynamics of the hole-burning process are crucial; for monophotonic mechanisms in particular, a set of stringent constraints can be derived that limit the applicability of this class of materials. Recent discoveries of two-color, photon-gated hole-burning offer special promise for nondestructive reading and improved performance.