'Quantum CD' could hold up to 1,000 times more data than today's optical discs
A new proposal borrows from the principles of quantum mechanics and a technique called "wavelength multiplexing" to hypothesize an ultra-dense new storage format.
Scientists have proposed a new type of data storage device that harnesses the powerful properties of quantum mechanics.
The ultra-high-density optical memory device would consist of numerous memory cells, each containing rare earth elements embedded within a solid material — in this case, magnesium oxide (MgO) crystals. The rare earth elements emit photons, or particles of light, which are absorbed by nearby "quantum defects" — vacancies in the crystal lattice containing unbonded electrons, which become excited by light absorption.
Current optical memory storage methods such as CDs and DVDs are constrained by the diffraction limit of light, meaning a single piece of data stored on the device cannot be smaller than the wavelength of the laser reading and writing the data. However, scientists hypothesized that optical discs could hold more data within the same area by using a technique called "wavelength multiplexing," in which slightly different wavelengths of light are used in combination.
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