Three-dimensional optical data storage system with minute sphere disk by use of confocal polarization microscope

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We propose a new optical data storage system with dye-doped minute spheres. The system uses the confocal polarization microscope. In order to avoid a problem of jitter as instability of rotating disk speed and resultant fluctuation of recording bit formation, we have devised a new process. The process involves the use of dye-doped minute spheres arranged upon a surface-relief structure as recording bits. By using dye-doped minute spheres we can limit a sensitive region within a sphere's diameter. Alternate laminating recordable sphere layer with sensitivity and buffer layer with insensitivity structurally limits recording bits in three dimensions.Using a reflection-type confocal optical microscope, we read out shape signals from minute spheres at high resolution. The shape signal from each minute sphere is utilized as a clock signal in recording and readout. The clock signal can be produced by separating a high-level signal and a low-level signal on the basis of a threshold. In our minute sphere optical storage system, a shift between positions of the recording bit and the clock signal does not occur because the clock signal is generated based on the shape signal from a minute sphere as the recording bit.The jitter-free technique proved to be extremely effective for disk recording and readout.