Holographic disk media answers the need for optical mass storage that rivals the size of hard disks today. By squeezing 500 Gbytes of data onto a single DVD-sized disk, GE plans to cash in on a market that is begging to be served. Look for holographic disks to begin making a big splash within three years by early adopters with gaping backup needs, and to be on everybody's desktop within five to seven years. R.C.J.
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GE Global Research reports that is has succeeded in writing patterns on holographic disks that brighten their reflectivity by up to 200 times, enabling next-generation holographic disks that could store up to 500 Gbytes, or about 10 times the storage capability of Blu-ray video disks. Optical disk drives with vastly more data storage than current storage media promise to harness the third dimension to write holographic patterns. GE estimates that its 500-Gbyte disk drives will be available by late 2011, using media that costs about 10 cents/gigabyte compared to 50 cents/gigabyte for current Blu-ray media.
Text: http://www.eetimes.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=217200383
