Scientists have unveiled a groundbreaking optical disc, leveraging a novel material named AIE-DDPR, capable of storing an astounding amount of information — up to the “petabit” scale, equivalent to 125 terabytes or approximately 15,000 DVDs’ worth of data. Unlike traditional storage mediums like USB flash drives or hard disk drives (HDDs), which have their limitations, this innovative disc promises a significant leap in storage density.
Optical discs, renowned for their durability and cost-effectiveness, have long been a staple for data storage. However, AIE-DDPR introduces a new era with its exceptional areal density, far surpassing the capabilities of typical HDDs. This breakthrough, detailed in a recent paper published in Nature, has the potential to revolutionize data storage in an era of escalating data production, from text messages to streaming media.
At the heart of this innovation lies nanoscale writing, achieved by combining two key chemicals — 2-isopropylthioxanthone (ITX) and dipentaerythritol penta-acrylate (DTPA) — enabling molecular-level recording. Hexaphenylsilole (HPS) and AIE luminogens (AIEgens) enhance nanoscale reading, driven by a highly focused laser beam firing in femtosecond bursts during the writing process. Through multilayer nanoscale writing and reading, the researchers achieved an unprecedented storage density, storing data in layers just one micrometer apart.
This advanced technology facilitated the storage of over 1 petabit of data on a single AIE-DDPR disc, dwarfing the capacity of thousands of Blu-ray discs combined. However, for commercial viability, improvements in writing speed and energy efficiency are imperative. The team aims to achieve this by employing a more precise laser beam in future iterations.
With the exponential growth of data generation, AIE-DDPR optical discs offer a promising solution, boasting compactness and potential cost-effectiveness compared to traditional storage arrays. As the demand for data storage continues to surge, this innovation holds the key to meeting future storage needs efficiently and effectively.
