Optical data storage and retrieval: Research directions for the '90s

Sadik Esener, Joseph E. Ford, Susan Hunter

Research output: Contribution to journalConference articlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

The computational power of current high-performance computers is increasingly limited by data storage and retrieval rates rather than the processing power of the central processing units. No single existing memory technology can combine the required fast access and large data capacity. Instead, a hierarchy of serial access memory devices has provided a performance continuum which allows a balanced system design. Conventional memory technology can only marginally support the needs of high performance computers in terms of required capacity, data rates, access times and cost. Significant gaps in secondary and tertiary storage have emerged which make storage hierarchy design increasingly difficult. This paper reviews a radically different approach to data storage using the parallelism and three dimensionality of optical storage. 3-D optical storage has the potential to significantly alter the present hierarchy and fill the pressing need for high performance secondary and tertiary storage systems.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number1026907
Pages (from-to)94-130
Number of pages37
JournalProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume10269
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 16 1992
Externally publishedYes
EventOptical Technologies for Aerospace Sensing: A Critical Review 1992 - Boston, United States
Duration: Nov 16 1992 → …

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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