Land/groove optical recording with GeTe/Sb2Te3 superlattice-like structure

A superlattice-like (SLL) structure was applied to phase-change optical recording. The recording layer consisting of alternating thin layers of two different phase-change materials, GeTe and Sb2Tes, were grown by magnetron sputtering on polycarbonate substrates. Land/groove optical recording was adopted to suppress crosstalk and obtain a large track density. Dynamic properties of the SLL disc were investigated with the shortest 1T pulse duration of 8 ns. Clear eye pattern was observed after 10000 direct overwrite cycles. Erasability above 20 dB was achieved at a constant linear velocity of 19 m/s. Carrier-noise ratio (CNR) kept above 46 dB when the recording frequency reaches 21 MHz. The SLL phase change optical disc demonstrates a better recording performance than the Ge1Sb2Te4 and Ge1Sb4Te7 discs in terms of CNR, erasability, and overwrite jitter.     

Direct overwrite materials for magneto-optic recording

The approach and the progress on the exchange-coupled multilayer direct overwrite technologies in magneto-optic (MO) recording are reviewed. To realize these direct overwrite scheme, MO materials that satisfy the necessary conditions of coercivities, Curie temperature and exchange coupling between layers are required. Excellent direct overwriting performance has been demonstrated at the disk level. There has been no major problem in the exchange-coupled multilayer technologies in order to obtain higher recording density from the viewpoint of recording characteristics.     

Novel approaches to high-density perpendicular recording media

Two different approaches to reduce the intermediate layer (IL) thickness in perpendicular recording media are proposed. Such a reduction in IL thickness could lead to improvement in writability and recording performance. The first approach involved the introduction of a magnetic intermediate layer (MIL), to obtain C-axis growth. Media with CoCr alloy layer as the MIL were studied. Reasonably good C-axis growth with a Δθ₅₀ of about 3.8° could be obtained for MIL thickness of about 10 nm. Noise could be controlled by introducing exchange-breaking layers. The other approach involved the use of crystalline soft underlayers (SUL) to obtain suitable growth conditions for the recording layers. For this purpose, CoFeTaCr alloys with a FCC(1 1 1) texture were prepared. A good C-axis dispersion in the recording layer with a Δθ₅₀ of about 3.1° could be obtained for IL thickness of about 5 nm. The present study indicates that the recording medium deposited on crystalline SUL is relatively noisier than that deposited on amorphous SUL. Reducing the noise of the crystalline SUL is a way towards higher areal densities.     

Use of two-photon absorption in a photorefractive crystal for three-dimensional optical memory

We describe the use of two-photon absorption in a photorefractive crystal for recording bit data in multilayered optical memory. A short-pulse near-infrared laser is used for generating the photorefractive effect by two-photon absorption. We succeeded in recording and reading seven layers of data in a LiNbO(3) crystal with a lateral resolution (distance between bits) of 5microm and an axial resolution (distance between layers) of 20 microm .     

Modeling and recording characteristics of a dye-doped polymer bilayer film

The optical, thermal, and structural behavior of a laser-irradiated dye-in-polymer bilayer film consisting of an elastic and a plastic layer was investigated by a computer modeling and recording experiment. The results of numerical calculations describe absorption of optical energy in the recording layers, the heat flow, and the resultant bump formation throughout the multilayer. Recording performance of the material is strongly affected by the dye concentration and the thickness of the plastic layer. The calculated and measured properties of the media are compared, and the relationship between the dye concentration, thickness of plastic layer, and thermal, structural, and recording performance are described. Received: 9 March 1999 / Revised version: 10 May 1999 / Published online: 29 July 1999     

Magnetic properties of soft layer/FePt--MgO exchange coupled composite perpendicular recording media

The magnetic properties of exchange coupled composite （ECC） media that are composed of perpendicular magnetic recording media FePt MgO and two kinds of soft layers have been studied by using an x-ray diffractometer, a polar Kerr magneto-optical system （PMOKE） and a vibrating sample magnetometer （VSM）. The results show that ECC media can reduce the coercivities of perpendicular magnetic recording media FePt-MgO. The ECC media with granular-type soft layers have weaker exchange couplings between magnetic grains and the magnetization process, for ECC media of this kind mainly follow the Stoner Wohlfarth model.     

Prospects for bit patterned media for high-density magnetic recording

Prospects for bit patterned media (BPM) of more than 1 Tb/in² are discussed. Improvement in the pattern drawing for small feature size and high precision is necessary for fabrication process. Deviation in the magnetic properties should be estimated and reduced. The etching damage seems not to be large. Design of the substructure of the magnetic dot is necessary for reducing the deviation. BPM is also a good template for technologies to increase the recording density. Combination of BPM with heat-assisted recording or exchange-coupled layers is advantageous for high-density recording.     

Improvement of recording performances through exchange coupling in triple-layered PMR media

Improved recording performances with exchange coupling between bottom magnetic layer and medium magnetic layer in triple-type perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) media are presented. Fundamentally, triple-type PMR media with exchange coupling between magnetic layers reduces DC erase noise and improves writability. Furthermore, triple-type PMR media could be expected clear magnetic cluster as well as relatively sharp transition pattern. Consequently, better spectral integral signal-to-noise ratio (SpiSNR), improved OW and about 1.5–2.0 order better bit error rate (BER) performances in triple-type PMR media with exchange coupling between magnetic layers were attributed to the reduction of DC erase noise and sharp transition as well as improved writability. In addition, work of micro-magnetic modeling on SNR profiles could help to verify the understanding on the role of exchange coupling between magnetic layers in triple-type PMR media.     

Kinetics of hologram recording on chromated gelatin using the diode-laser radiation

The hologram recording on the dichromated gelatin layers using the radiation of a diode laser and a diode-pumped solid-state laser is investigated. The recording on dry and self-developed dichromated gelatin layers is experimentally demonstrated. Various recording regimes are studied for wavelengths of 0.53 and 0.66 μm.     

Magneto-optical Static Recording Performances of Sputtered CoPt Alloy Films

CoPt alloy films with good magnetic and mageto-optical properties were prepared on Pt buffer layer or directly on glass subst rate by sputtering a composite target. Their static recording properties were investigated. The results showed that static signals could be easily written into the CoPt alloy films without Pt buffer layers using moderate recording power. The introduction of Pt buffer layer in CoPt alloy films not only led to a smaller Kerr rotation but also greatly increased the recording power.     

Heat Assisted Magnetic Recording with Matching Media and Recording Head Field

The dynamic performance of heat assisted magnetic recording （HAMR） on different media is investigated. Signal and signal-to-noise ratio enhancement are achieved in high coereivity perpendicular media with the aid of laser heating. Linear recording density is increased while saturation write current is lowered. Trailing field partial erasure is observed in lower coercivity media with a ring head, which causes signal reduction with increasing write current or application of a laser. Precautions should be taken against partial erasure in overall recording system optimization of HAMR in order to achieve ultrahigh recording density.     

Temperature profile of the multilayer structure irradiated by pulsed laser

Two programs are developed to calculate the temperature profile, as well as the reflectance, transmittance and absorption of a given multilayer film structure, in order to better understand the laser energy distribution between the reflectance, transmittance and absorption in each film layer. An inorganic Blu-ray recordable disc (BD-R) structure is used as a practical demonstration of the multilayer structure. The reflectance and absorption of the BD-R structure exhibit opposite trends and oscillate repeatedly with varying lower or upper dielectric layer thickness while the rest of the film thickness remains unchanged. The energy absorption in an absorbed layer depends on the thickness of the dielectric layers, its relative position in the structure and the extinction coefficient of its optical constant. The total absorption ratio of its maximum to minimum can be over 3 when changing the lower dielectric layer thickness of the studied structure. The layer thickness acts as an energy valve to control the energy flow into the multilayer structure. The thermal profile of the multilayer film structure irradiated by a pulsed laser is calculated at different positions in the film layers with time. The calculated temperatures in the recording alloy layer exhibit linear relationship with the applied power level. The effect of the laser duration time on the temperature increase in the recording layer is significant in the first few nanoseconds and becomes saturated if the heat balance is established in the structure. The calculated temperature is consistent with the experimental recording result when the structure is recorded at 4-time BD-R recording speed.     

High density digital recording on 4 mm metal particle and Ba-ferrite tapes

In this study we compare the recording performance of 4 mm metal particle (MP) and Ba-ferrite (BF) tapes using helical scan digital audio tape (DAT) mechanisms and heads. At low bit densities the MP tapes have higher output signal and SNR compared with the BF tapes, but at high bit densities the reverse is true. This superior recording performance of the BF tapes, along with their immunity to environmental corrosion, recommends them as the media of choice for 4 mm data recording applications.     

Polarization volume holograms in layers of polymethylmethacrylate with phenanthrenequinone

Polarization volume holograms are recorded in the polymethylmethacrylate layers that contain phenanthrenequinone at a molar content of 2.5–3%. The effect of the polarization of recording beams on the kinetics of diffraction efficiency and properties of holograms is analyzed. Polarization hologram recording in the polymethylmethacrylate layers with phenanthrenequinone and a relatively high optical stability of the holograms are demonstrated.     

Multibeam X-ray lithography to form deep regular microstructures

A method for the fabrication of regular microstructures with a high aspect ratio (for example, X-ray gratings) by direct multibeam vector recording in layers of an SU-8 resist is presented. An X-ray beam with a wavelength from 0.4 to 1.7 Å is used for recording. The features of the method are described. The fabricated samples of regular microstructures of the SU-8 resist and gold-plated X-ray masks are presented as finished products.     

Thermally assisted magnetic recording with bit-patterned media to achieve areal recording density beyond 5 Tb/in

Thermally assisted magnetic recording (TAR) with bit-patterned media was investigated by micromagnetic simulation. The media were assumed to be FePt layers. The effective head-field margin as well as the increase in temperature margin and down-track shift margin was investigated. Conditions of the head and medium that lead to a recording density beyond 5 Tb/in² were proposed.     

In vivo imaging of intrinsic optical signals in chicken retina with functional optical coherence tomography

Visually evoked intrinsic optical signals (IOSs) were measured in vivo for the first time to our knowledge from all retina layers of the chicken retina with a combined functional optical coherence tomography and electroretinography (ERG) system. IOS traces were recorded from a small volume in the retina with 3.5 μm axial resolution and 7 ms time resolution. Comparison of the IOS and ERG traces shows a correlation between the positive and negative IOS measured from different retinal layers and the timing of the a and b waves in the ERG recording.     

Feasibility analysis of solid immersion lens-based dual-layer near-field recording optics with a numerical aperture of 1.84

A dual-layer near-field recording (NFR) optical system with a high numerical aperture (NA) of 1.84 was designed by appropriate cover and spacing layer selection, using layers with refractive indices of 2.0. The designed aplanatic imaging optics exhibited additional aberrations in the multi-layered stack, mainly due to the air-gap and spacer layer. Given optics designed only to compensate for aberrations caused by a 2-μm-thick cover-layer, a 3-μm-thick spacer layer induces 96.2 mλ_rms and 6.5 mλ_rms of spherical aberration and defocus, respectively. A complete electric field calculation analysis for the inside of the multi-layer stack verified that diffraction-limited spot quality can be ensured on the recording layer with phase-only correction. As the aberration caused by the multi-layered stack cannot be corrected perfectly, due to the high oscillation of the aberration function along the radial direction in the exit pupil, three different types of liquid crystal (LC) electrodes were considered for practical implementation. Of the three phase-correction methods, the approximate linear phase-correction method was the most tolerant of axis decenter from the optical axis, providing acceptable diffraction-limited correction performance.     

Structural defects in 6H-SiC substrates and their effect on the sublimation growth of epitaxial layers in vacuum

The structural perfection of silicon carbide substrates and homoepitaxial layers grown on the substrates by sublimation has been studied by x-ray diffraction (topography and diffractometry) and optical microscopy. The optimum diffraction conditions (hkil reflections, radiation wavelength λ, and recording geometry) for revealing “micropipes” of the dislocation nature are determined. It is shown that the growth conditions used make it possible to obtain highly perfect epitaxial layers.     

Effect of laser annealing on the dynamics of hologram recording in self-developed dichromated gelatin layers

The dynamics of hologram recording in self-developed dichromated gelatin layers are analyzed for the case where the emulsion is synthesized using self-development technology with application of high-power IR radiation with a wavelength of 1.06 μm for the laser preexposure annealing of millimeter-thick colloid layers.