Optical storage
Encyclopedia
Optical storage is a term from engineering
referring to the storage of data on an optically readable medium. Data is recorded by making marks in a pattern that can be read back with the aid of light
, usually a beam of laser
light precisely focused on a spinning disc. An older example, that does not require the use of computers, is microform
. There are other means of optically storing data and new methods are in development. Optical storage differs from other data storage techniques that make use of other technologies such as magnetism
or semiconductor
s.
Optical storage can range from a single drive reading a single CD-ROM
to multiple drives reading multiple discs such as an optical jukebox
. Single compact discs can hold around 700MB (megabyte
s)and optical jukebox
es can hold much more.
The term optical drive usually refers to a device in a computer that can read CD-ROM
s or other optical disc
s.
It is estimated that in the year 2007, optical storage represents 27% of the world's technological capacity to store information.
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
referring to the storage of data on an optically readable medium. Data is recorded by making marks in a pattern that can be read back with the aid of light
Light
Light or visible light is electromagnetic radiation that is visible to the human eye, and is responsible for the sense of sight. Visible light has wavelength in a range from about 380 nanometres to about 740 nm, with a frequency range of about 405 THz to 790 THz...
, usually a beam of laser
Laser
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...
light precisely focused on a spinning disc. An older example, that does not require the use of computers, is microform
Microform
Microforms are any forms, either films or paper, containing microreproductions of documents for transmission, storage, reading, and printing. Microform images are commonly reduced to about one twenty-fifth of the original document size...
. There are other means of optically storing data and new methods are in development. Optical storage differs from other data storage techniques that make use of other technologies such as magnetism
Magnetism
Magnetism is a property of materials that respond at an atomic or subatomic level to an applied magnetic field. Ferromagnetism is the strongest and most familiar type of magnetism. It is responsible for the behavior of permanent magnets, which produce their own persistent magnetic fields, as well...
or semiconductor
Semiconductor
A semiconductor is a material with electrical conductivity due to electron flow intermediate in magnitude between that of a conductor and an insulator. This means a conductivity roughly in the range of 103 to 10−8 siemens per centimeter...
s.
Optical storage can range from a single drive reading a single CD-ROM
CD-ROM
A CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data....
to multiple drives reading multiple discs such as an optical jukebox
Optical jukebox
An optical jukebox is a robotic data storage device that can automatically load and unload optical discs, such as Compact Disc, DVD, Ultra Density Optical or Blu-ray disc and can provide terabytes and petabytes of tertiary storage. The devices are often called optical disk libraries, robotic...
. Single compact discs can hold around 700MB (megabyte
Megabyte
The megabyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information storage or transmission with two different values depending on context: bytes generally for computer memory; and one million bytes generally for computer storage. The IEEE Standards Board has decided that "Mega will mean 1 000...
s)and optical jukebox
Optical jukebox
An optical jukebox is a robotic data storage device that can automatically load and unload optical discs, such as Compact Disc, DVD, Ultra Density Optical or Blu-ray disc and can provide terabytes and petabytes of tertiary storage. The devices are often called optical disk libraries, robotic...
es can hold much more.
The term optical drive usually refers to a device in a computer that can read CD-ROM
CD-ROM
A CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data....
s or other optical disc
Optical disc
In computing and optical disc recording technologies, an optical disc is a flat, usually circular disc which encodes binary data in the form of pits and lands on a special material on one of its flat surfaces...
s.
It is estimated that in the year 2007, optical storage represents 27% of the world's technological capacity to store information.
See also
- Data storage deviceData storage devicethumb|200px|right|A reel-to-reel tape recorder .The magnetic tape is a data storage medium. The recorder is data storage equipment using a portable medium to store the data....
- the broader topic of all devices that store data. - Optical Media board disc - modern optical discs such as CD-ROMCD-ROMA CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data....
s and related formats. - Optical JukeboxOptical jukeboxAn optical jukebox is a robotic data storage device that can automatically load and unload optical discs, such as Compact Disc, DVD, Ultra Density Optical or Blu-ray disc and can provide terabytes and petabytes of tertiary storage. The devices are often called optical disk libraries, robotic...
- Optical disc drive
- Optical tapeOptical tapeOptical tape is a medium for optical storage generally consisting of a long and narrow strip of plastic on to which patterns can be written and from which the patterns can be read back. It shares some technologies with cinema film stock and optical discs, but is compatible with neither...
- more capacity than magnetic tape but not as cost effective - Magneto-optical driveMagneto-optical driveA magneto-optical drive is a kind of optical disc drive capable of writing and rewriting data upon a magneto-optical disc. Both 130 mm and 90 mm form factors exist. The technology was introduced commercially in 1985...
- combines Optical and Magnetic technologies to store data. - Laser turntableLaser turntableA laser turntable is a phonograph that uses laser beams as the pickup to play LP gramophone records instead of a stylus .-History:...
- a device that optically reads mechanical data storage media. - Holographic Data Storage SystemsHDSSIn late 1995 a joint university, industry and government consortium initiated the Holographic Data Storage System programme, with the initial goals of developing several key components for the system, including a high-capacity, high-bandwidth spatial light modulator used for data input; optimised...
- potential new optical storage technology. - 3D optical data storage3D optical data storage3D optical data storage is the term given to any form of optical data storage in which information can be recorded and/or read with three dimensional resolution ....
- potential new optical storage technology. - Optical Storage Technology AssociationOptical Storage Technology AssociationThe Optical Storage Technology Association is an international trade association which promotes the use of recordable optical technologies and products, and most notably it is responsible for the creation and maintenance of the UDF specification...
- industry trade association