Researchers at Microsoft Research’s division have engineered a novel optical data storage approach, boasting an information retention capacity exceeding 10,000 years.
This technique relies on ultra-brief (femtosecond) laser pulses to precisely alter the refractive characteristics of borosilicate glass. Within this material, voxels—three-dimensional pixels—are created. Each voxel has the capability to store multiple bits of data simultaneously. The team successfully compacted 4.8 terabytes of information onto a piece of glass measuring only 120 mm² in area and 2 mm in thickness. A single laser beam facilitates a data writing speed of 25.6 Mbit/s, enabling rapid archiving of substantial data volumes.
Microsoft’s glass media exhibits near invulnerability to external stressors. During testing, data remained completely readable even after the storage medium endured prolonged exposure to temperatures reaching 500 degrees Celsius. To ensure precision, the system employs AI algorithms. Furthermore, the entire write and read sequence is automated, positioning this technology for widespread adoption in data centers.
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