- The new optical technology could reduce archive costs by 10x or even more
- Optera data discs could reach 10 TB for only $ 1 – cheaper than the band!
- Low -power and high density storage has data centers in mind
A team led by Dr. Nicolas Rieseen at the University of South Australia has created a new optical storage technology that could potentially reduce the archive storage costs from a ten factor, compared to current optical solutions.
As indicated by Blocks and filesThis method is based on the handling of fluorescence in wave bands in specific recording areas, allowing multi-bit storage similar to Nand Flash technology.
The process consists in selectively modifying the fluorescence properties of nanoparticles in the recording environment, using laser energy to create “spectral holes” where the emission is reduced. This variation in the light code emission for data at several levels, potentially allowing high density storage. The nanoparticles, composed of hexagonal silicon carbide crystals (sic) doped with a vanadium, would have reacted to laser exposure so as to affect their light emission characteristics. These changes can be identified during the reading process, allowing data recovery.
$ 1 per teraoctet
Founded by entrepreneur Geoff MacLeod-Smith, OPTE data is currently trying to market technology. The startup provides optical discs capable of storing high density archives, emphasizing offline security and the preservation of long -term data. Data writing would involve adjusting lasers to define the spectral frequencies, while reading would be based on the detection of fluorescence models.
A white paper from Tom Cochlin, available to read on the Optera data site, provides that global storage capacity shipments will increase five times between 2024 and 2029, with a large part of these data residing in secondary or archivist storage . Traditional hard drives, adhesive tape and other emerging optical solutions are in competition for this expanding market, where longevity and energy efficiency are privileged factors.
Opte will Data claims that, once developed, its technology could reach a total cost of possession as low as $ 1 per teraoctet, well below the expected costs of other storage media.
The company hopes to make discs of 1 short -term TB, with the ambitious goal of reaching 10 TB for $ 1 by the end of the decade. This price would make it much cheaper than cerabbyte solutions, and it could even potentially underline the storage of magnetic ribbon, which should fall below $ 2.50 per teraoctet by 2029.
Unlike hard drives, which require continuous power and magnetic ribbon, which depends on specialized library systems, Optera Data’s approach could be integrated into existing optical disk formats. This compatibility could help the adoption of technology in data centers where the reduction in energy consumption and storage costs is a major objective for hyperscalers at the moment.
The viability of technology will of course depend on its ability to meet the requirements of storage density and to compete with evolutionary alternatives such as storage of synthetic DNA, which offers long -term stability but is always a way to deactivate For great listening hours.
