Modeling of laser pulsed heating and quenching in optical data storage media

In order for rewritable optical data storage to compete with other storage technologies, it is crucial to increase the data transfer rate and storage capacity. Near-field recording should enable considerable progress in these areas, however, currently available near-field light sources are limited by their low output powers. This puts severe constraints on the thermal properties of the phase change media. This article addresses how rewritable optical data storage media can meet data transfer rate and storage capacity requirements. In particular, the required laser power for writing and erasing submicron "bits" is calculated. It is shown using modeling how the power and the write and erase times depend on the structure and thermal properties of the media, as well as on the crystallization kinetics of the recording layer. Guidelines for media optimization and areas that presently pose the most serious limitations are presented. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(99)05110-5].