Storing Data Forever on Nanostructured Glass

Feb-23-16 Nanostructured glass able to save five-dimensional digital data may offer a way to not only store more data, but also store it safely for much longer than current options.

The data is stored by using femtosecond laser writers to etch microscopic dots in three layers onto a piece of quartz, separated by five micrometers. These nanostructures alter the way light moves through the quartz, modifying the polarization in a way that can be read by a polarizer and a microscope. This dense storage capability will prove particularly useful for institutions such as libraries and national archives.

According to the team, the process can offer a 360 TB storage capacity, a thermal stability of up to 1,000°C, and a of lifetime (13.8 billion years) at room temperatures of 190°C—potentially outlasting the human race.

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