Advanced materials for reversible optical storage

The development of semiconductor lasers and the application of materials such as garnets as the recording media have led to fast progress in optical storage technology. The ability of the new methods (for mode of information storage see figure) to compete with magnetic storage are discussed, new materials are assessed, and techniques such as direct overwrite through field or laser modulation are described. (Figure Presented.) Copyright © 1990 Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim