Data reading and writing apparatuses and data reading and writing methods are provided. In a data reading apparatus or a data writing apparatus, an optical head array including a plurality of laser heads is disposed, so that a quantity of laser heads for reading/writing data is increased. In addition, each laser head is improved, and a plurality of focal points are disposed in the laser head, so that in a data reading/writing process, parallel reading/writing of a plurality of pieces of data may be implemented by using the plurality of laser heads and the plurality of focal points in the laser head, and a data read/write throughput of an optical storage medium may be improved.

In a recording technique in which a plurality of light spots are simultaneously formed by using an ultra-short pulse laser and a spatial phase modulator, and a plurality of recording dots having refractive indexes different from those of the vicinities thereof are formed inside a recording medium, it is hard to make recording quality and a recording density compatible. Therefore, a plurality of dots are recorded at a predetermined dot pitch, and then other dots are recorded between the recorded dots.

In a recording technique in which a plurality of light spots are simultaneously formed by using an ultra-short pulse laser and a spatial phase modulator, and a plurality of recording dots having refractive indexes different from those of the vicinities thereof are formed inside a recording medium, it is hard to make recording quality and a recording density compatible. Therefore, a plurality of dots are recorded at a predetermined dot pitch, and then other dots are recorded between the recorded dots.

A method for optically storing and retrieving information is provided that irradiates spin-defect centers in a substrate with red or blue light to change the charge state to form a pattern. This pattern encodes information and long-term data storage. The information is retrieved by irradiating the pattern with red light that causes the pattern to undergo fluorescence.

A method for optically storing and retrieving information is provided that irradiates spin-defect centers in a substrate with red or blue light to change the charge state to form a pattern. This pattern encodes information and long-term data storage. The information is retrieved by irradiating the pattern with red light that causes the pattern to undergo fluorescence.

An optical storage system includes an optical head configured to split a light beam into a higher power main beam and at least one lower power side beam. The optical storage system also includes a controller configured to alter an optical medium, via modulation of the higher power main beam according to a writing strategy waveform that defines at least n pulses for every n bits of data to be written to the medium, while processing a first signal resulting from the at least one lower power side beam being reflected from the medium and a second signal indicative of the writing strategy waveform to remove noise from the first signal caused by the higher power main beam to generate output indicative of the data directly after writing.

An optical storage system includes an optical head configured to split a light beam into a higher power main beam and at least one lower power side beam. The optical storage system also includes a controller configured to alter an optical medium, via modulation of the higher power main beam according to a writing strategy waveform that defines at least n pulses for every n bits of data to be written to the medium, while processing a first signal resulting from the at least one lower power side beam being reflected from the medium and a second signal indicative of the writing strategy waveform to remove noise from the first signal caused by the higher power main beam to generate output indicative of the data directly after writing.

A holographic characterization and playback apparatus is provided, which includes a light source, an optical path-forming optical system for separating the light emitted from the light source into a probe light and a reference light of different polarizations, and combining optical paths of the probe light and the reference light.

A holographic characterization and playback apparatus is provided, which includes a light source, an optical path-forming optical system for separating the light emitted from the light source into a probe light and a reference light of different polarizations, and combining optical paths of the probe light and the reference light.

Methods and apparatus for recording and retrieval of optically readable data employ a recording medium (100) which comprises an optically active material (108) able to induce a change in properties of the medium in the presence of optical radiation having a first characteristic, such as a first optical frequency, and wherein the change in properties can be inhibited by optical radiation having a second characteristic, such as a second optical frequency. During recording, a region of the recording medium (100) is irradiated with a first beam (506) of optical radiation having the first characteristic, the beam having a sufficient intensity within a central portion of the irradiated region and being of sufficient duration to cause an optically induced change in properties of the recording medium. Simultaneously, the region of the recording medium (100) is irradiated with a second beam (508) of optical radiation having the second characteristic, the second beam having a local intensity minimum within the central portion of the irradiated region, and a local intensity maximum in at least one portion of the irradiated region adjacent to the central portion which is sufficient to inhibit the optically induced change in properties of the recording medium. A similar method is employed for retrieval, however the intensity of the first beam (506) is reduced to prevent changes in material properties within the recording medium (100).