Terabyte recorded in two-photon 3D disk

1 Tbyte of data has been recorded in 200 layers inside the volume of one of our two-photon 3D disks. Each layer contains 5 Gb of data similar to the capacity of a single layer DVD. The results obtained with our high-performance 1.0 numerical aperture (NA) objective lens show a full disk recording of 1 Tbyte within a standard optical disk form factor 120 mm x 1.2 mm thick utilizing our very stable and efficient materials. Very high sensitivity materials are recorded with bit energies as low as 250 pJ/bit. Materials sensitive at 405 nm are experimentally tested by recording with a 405 nm Nichia laser diode. Results show that bit dimensions are further reduced, which enables future recordings of 5 Tbyte disk capacities by recording 25 Gb/layer, the equivalent of a Blu-ray disk capacity per layer.     

Effective spherical aberration compensation by use of a nematic liquid-crystal device

The next generation of optical data storage system beyond DVDs will use blue laser light and an objective lens with a high numerical aperture of 0.85 to increase storage capacity. Such high numerical aperture systems have an inherent higher sensitivity to aberrations. In particular, the spherical aberration caused by cover layer thickness tolerances and--more obvious--by dual-layer disks with a typical separation of approximately 20 microm between the two layers must be compensated. We propose a novel transmissive nematic liquid-crystal device, which is capable of compensating spherical aberration that occurs during the operation of optical pickup systems.     

Proposal for a multilayer read-only-memory optical disk structure

Coherent interlayer cross talk and stray-light intensity of multilayer read-only-memory (ROM) optical disks are investigated. From results of scalar diffraction analyses, we conclude that layer separations above 10 microm are preferred in a system using a 0.85 numerical aperture objective lens in terms of signal quality and stability in focusing control. Disk structures are optimized to prevent signal deterioration resulting from multiple reflections, and appropriate detectors are determined to maintain acceptable stray-light intensity. In the experiment, quadrilayer and octalayer high-density ROM disks are prepared by stacking UV-curable films onto polycarbonate substrates. Data-to-clock jitters of < or = 7% demonstrate the feasibility of multilayer disk storage up to 200 Gbytes.     

Optical performance of a diffraction-limited molded-glass biaspheric lens

Optical performance results are reported for a molded-glass biaspheric lens. The 6-mm optical diam lens is intended for use in a laser-based optical disk application. The design with fabrication tolerances has an expected on-axis transmitted wave-front performance of 0.06-wave rms optical path difference (OPD) when tested at 0.6328 ,4m and a numerical aperture of 0.45. Transmitted wave-front aberrations were measured on actual molded lenses using a heterodyne interferometer. Typical performance was 0.05-0.08-wave rms- OPD. Experimental results involving mold rotation indicate that lens performance is primarily limited by a surface figure accuracy of one of the molds.     

Computer simulations of effects of disk tilt and lens tilt on push-pull tracking error signal in an optical disk drive

We quantify the effects of disk tilt and objective lens tilt on the push-pull tracking error signal of an optical disk data storage system. For a grooved disk, such as a recordable compact disk that operates at a laser wavelength of lambda, it is found that disk tilt produces a tracking offset of 0.05lambda per degree of tilt, whereas objective lens tilt produces an offset of 0.012lambda per degree of tilt. The amplitude of the tracking error signal decreases by 2.5% at the disk tilt angle of 0.3 degrees and by 5% at the objective lens tilt of 0.3 degrees . We achieved these simulations with the computer program Diffract, which performs a combination of diffraction and ray-tracing calculations through the entire optical path, from the light source to the detectors.     

天线振动对大气激光通信误码率影响的仿真

大气激光通信系统的误码率不仅受到振动时振幅大小的影响,而且受到光学发射天线孔径的影响。通过数值仿真,分析了孔径分别为 17.5mm, 20mm, 25mm 的光学发射天线,在其振动时对大气激光通信误码率的影响。分析表明,在一定距离下,选取产生大光斑的孔径,能提高系统对振动的抗干扰性。这为合理选择光学发射天线的孔径提供了理论依据。     

基于一新型数码照相机照相物镜的研制

介绍一种新型数码照相机照相物镜的研制过程。其光学系统总长≤55mm,焦距59．9mm,相对孔径1/4．8。此物镜结构简单,后工作距离大。检测证明该物镜成像质量符合设计要求。     

Partial-response signaling for phase-change optical data storage without electronic equalization

We describe the application of partial-response (PR) signaling in rewritable phase-change optical data storage. No electronic filter is necessary to shape the readout signal to a certain PR target. A PR-like waveform at the output of the read channel is directly achieved by optical recording. A genetic algorithm is used to optimize the parameters for writing and therefore to minimize the difference between the actual readout signal and the ideal PR waveform. With a laser wavelength of 0.66 microm and an objective lens with a numerical aperture of 0.6, four linear densities were examined: 0.4, 0.3, 0.25, and 0.2 microm/bit (without modulation). Results showed that the linear density of 0.25 microm/bit can be realized on a rewritable digital-versatile disk.     

Focal shift of focused truncated Lorentz-Gauss beam

Based on the Collins diffraction integral formula and the complex Gaussian expansion of the aperture function, an analytical expression for a Lorentz-Gauss beam focused by an optical system with a thin lens and a circular aperture has been derived. The focal shift of the focused truncated Lorentz-Gauss beam is investigated with numerical examples, and the dependence of the focal shift on the different parameters of the focused truncated Lorentz-Gauss beam is discussed in detail. This research is useful to the applications of highly divergent laser beams.     

The fabrication of index-modulated grating coupler in a polymeric waveguide using two-photon initiated photopolymerization

A simple process suitable for fabrication of volume phase grating coupler in planar optical waveguide by two-photon initiated polymerization is presented. The volume phase grating has been written by scanning femtosecond laser pulses directly on the polymeric thin-film through a high numerical aperture lens. The areas of the index-modulated grating without morphology are 1.5 mm × 1.5 mm. The microstructure feature of coupling grating was illustrated. The corresponding index modulation reaches 0.03. We demonstrated the implementation of input coupling by this grating into the polymeric waveguide film. The measured coupling efficiency was about 11%.     

Study and implementation of a hybrid diffractive/refractive lens and a color inkjet head on high density data storage

Traditional optical storage technology focuses a laser beam on the surface of a disk using objective lenses. The storage capacity is limited. It entirely depends on the effective disk size. Using colored storage technology to increase the storage capacity is a novel approach. Color is used to store information. After the spectrometer reads the data, the original color is computed and the stored information is read. In this study, a color is used to write colors; optical transmission with a hybrid diffractive/refractive lens produces a transmission spectrum, and then the fiber-optic spectrometer reads and analyzes the color and then decodes the information. Based on a 2.4?μm reading spot size and the implementation of tricolor ink, ～4.561 Gbytes can be stored. If the tricolor ink dripping and laser size can be reduced to 1.80?μm, each disk can store data up to 8.1?GB.     

Optical tolerances of an actively tilted high-numerical-aperture two-lens objective for optical recording

Analytical expressions for the primary wave-front aberrations of an actively tilted two-lens objective are derived, and expressions for the higher-order wave-front aberrations for disk tilt of this lens system are presented. This analysis is important because the two-lens objective opens the way to achieving higher-numerical-aperture systems for optical recording with acceptable tolerances that cannot be achieved with a single-lens objective. To test whether the conclusions drawn from the analytically derived results remain valid for high numerical apertures, we compare the results with those obtained by ray tracing: It is shown not only that the two-lens system is tolerant of disk-thickness variations and decentering of the lenses but that it can also be made tolerant of disk tilt when the lens facing the disk is actively tilted.     

Evaluation of partial-response maximum-likelihood detection for phase-change optical data storage

We describe the application of partial-response (PR) maximum-likelihood (ML) detection in rewritable phase-change optical data storage. The input to this detector, which is simulated in software, is the actual signal (without any equalization), reproduced from reading of the recorded sequence on an optical disk. The detection algorithm involves the extraction of the impulse response from the readout signal, PR equalization, the adjustment of gain and recovery of clock, ML sequence estimation with the Viterbi algorithm, and analysis of PRML performance. With a laser wavelength of 0.69 mum and an objective lens with a numerical aperture of 0.6, three linear densities are examined: 0.35 and 0.31 mum/bit without modulation code and 0.2 mum/bit with the (1, 7) modulation code. The equalized signal exhibits good eye patterns, especially at the densities of 0.35 and 0.31 mum/bit. Analyses of noise and bit-error rate indicate that jitter, rather than noise, is the main obstacle to realizing ultrahigh density in phase-change media with PRML detection. We also briefly discuss the problem of the inherent nonlinear effect in phase-change readout.     

Position Dependent Response of Superconducting MgB2 Neutron Detectors Studied by Pulsed Laser Irradiation

The MgB₂ detector consists of 200?nm thick MgB₂ thin film meander structure of 3?μm line width protected by 300?nm thick SiO layer. The electrical connections were provided by 150?nm thick Nb. The devices were placed in a 4?K refrigerator to investigate the behavior at temperatures below T _c. The position-dependent response of the MgB₂ detector can be investigated by scanning a laser spot with the aid of the XYZ piezo-driven stage and an optical fiber with a focusing lens. We found that the inhomogeneity in a detector is very critical to specify the detection efficiency since the detector has the sensitivity only in a narrow temperature regime near T _c.     

Integrated optical-disk pickup that uses a focusing grating coupler with a high numerical aperture

An integrated optical-disk pickup that uses a focusing grating coupler with a numerical aperture of 0.45 (a focal length of 1.0 mm and an aperture of 1.0 mm × 0.8 mm) was developed, and the readout signal on an International Standards Organization (ISO) -formatted 90-mm optical disk was detected by the pickup. The signal-amplitude ratio of the minimum-limit data pattern to the maximum was 0.53 on the innermost track. It meets the requirement on the signal resolution for optical-disk storage devices.     

激光探测告警光学系统设计

为满足激光探测告警光学系统对大视场和光学增益的要求,提出了宽视场有增益光学系统。该系统工作波长范围1.06~1.54μm,全视场角60°,最大口径28mm,PIN光电探测器光敏面直径2mm。物镜采用二片式反远距结构,增大了视场和后工作距离。弯月型负透镜在前,具有平衡像差和棱镜的偏向作用;物镜后放置高折射率标准超半球型浸没透镜,满足小光敏面探测器接收。分析结果表明,系统像高0.99mm,光学增益达15.33,结构简单,可有效降低激光辐射源功率、增强探测距离。     

Characterization of a broadband all-optical ultrasound transducer-from optical and acoustical properties to imaging

A broadband all-optical ultrasound transducer has been designed, fabricated, and evaluated for high- frequency ultrasound imaging. The device consists of a 2-D gold nanostructure imprinted on top of a glass substrate, followed by a 3 microm PDMS layer and a 30 nm gold layer. A laser pulse at the resonance wavelength of the gold nanostructure is focused onto the surface for ultrasound generation, while the gold nanostructure, together with the 30 nm thick gold layer and the PDMS layer in between, forms an etalon for ultrasound detection, which uses a CW laser at a wavelength far from resonance as the probing beam. The center frequency of a pulse-echo signal recorded in the far field of the transducer is 40 MHz with -6 dB bandwidth of 57 MHz. The signal to noise ratio (SNR) from a 70 microm diameter transmit element combined with a 20 microm diameter receive element probing a near perfect reflector positioned 1.5 mm from the transducer surface is more than 10 dB and has the potential to be improved by at least another 40 dB. A high-frequency ultrasound array has been emulated using multiple measurements from the transducer while mechanically scanning an imaging target. Characterization of the device's optical and acoustical properties, as well as preliminary imaging results, strongly suggest that all-optical ultrasound transducers can be used to build high-frequency arrays for real-time high-resolution ultrasound imaging.     

High-performance fluidic adaptive lenses

High-performance fluidic lenses with an adjustable focal length spanning a very wide range (30 mm to infinite) are demonstrated. We show that the focal length, F-number, and numerical aperture can be dynamically controlled by changing the shape of the fluidic adaptive lens without moving the lens position mechanically. The shortest focal length demonstrated is less than 30 mm for a 20-mm lens aperture. The fluidic adaptive lens has a nearly perfect spherical profile and shows a resolution better than 40 line pairs/mm in a plano-convex structure and 57 line pairs/mm in a biconvex structure.     

Readout signals calculated for near-field optical pickups with land and groove recording

Optical disk readout signals with a solid immersion lens (SIL) and the land-groove recording technique are calculated by use of a simplified vector-diffraction theory. In this method the full vector-diffraction theory is applied to calculate the diffracted light from the initial state of the disk, and the light scattered from the recorded marks is regarded as a perturbation. Using this method, we confirmed that the land-groove recording technique is effective as a means of cross-talk reduction even when the numerical aperture is more than 1. However, the top surface of the disk under the SIL must be flat, or the readout signal from marks recorded on a groove decays when the optical depth of the groove is greater than lambda/8.     

Effects of an asymmetrically molded plastic objective lens on the push-pull tracking-error signal in an optical disk drive

The effects of a plastic objective lens's astigmatism on the push-pull tracking-error signal (TES) of an optical disk data storage system were investigated theoretically and experimentally. Astigmatism of plastic objective lenses arises commonly from the asymmetric deviation from their designed shape during the molding process. By carefully studying the aberration characteristics of the objective lens and including the astigmatism of the laser diode in the analysis, we can calculate the combined effects of astigmatism of these two components on the push-pull TES. It is found, from both the simulations and the experiments, that, by rotation of the objective lens about the optical axis, the peak-to-peak value of the push-pull TES varies with the lens's rotation angle, and a change as great as 340% in its value was observed in a given optical pickup.