Australian Scientists Develop Optical Data Storage Technology That Reduces Costs 10-Fold
Scientists from the University of South Australia have developed an optical data storage technology that could significantly reduce the costs of archival storage. The team, led by Dr. Nicholas Riesen, has created a method based on manipulating fluorescence in specific wavelength ranges within defined recording areas. This allows for multi-bit storage, similar to NAND flash technology.
The process involves selectively altering the fluorescent properties of nanoparticles within the recording medium. Using laser energy, "spectral holes" are created where emission is reduced. This variation in light emission encodes data at multiple levels, potentially enabling high-density storage. The nanoparticles, composed of hexagonal crystals of vanadium-doped silicon carbide (SiC), react to laser exposure, which affects their light-emitting characteristics. These changes can be identified during the reading process, allowing data to be retrieved.
Optera Data, a company founded by entrepreneur Geoff Macleod-Smith, is currently working to commercialize this technology. The startup envisions creating high-density archival optical discs with a focus on stand-alone security and long-term data preservation. Data recording will involve setting lasers to specific spectral frequencies, and reading will be based on detecting fluorescent patterns.
According to forecasts presented in a technical document by Tom Coughlin, available on the Optera Data website, the total volume of data storage system shipments will increase fivefold by 2029, with most of this data being stored in secondary or archival storage. Traditional hard drives, tapes, and other developing optical solutions are competing for this expanding market, where durability and energy efficiency are key factors.
Optera Data claims that once developed, their technology will achieve a total cost of ownership of just $1 per terabyte, which is significantly lower than the projected costs of other media. The company hopes to produce 1TB capacity discs in the short term and plans to reach 10TB for $1 by the end of the decade. This price will make the technology significantly cheaper than solutions from companies like Cerabyte and could potentially even surpass magnetic tape storage, the cost of which is projected to fall below $2.50 per terabyte by 2029.
Unlike hard drives, which require constant power, and magnetic tapes, which depend on specialized library systems, Optera Data's approach can be integrated with existing optical disc formats. This compatibility could facilitate the adoption of the technology in data centers, where reducing energy consumption and storage costs is an important task for hyperscalers.
